By The Sampadak Express
On March 27, 2025, the central government directed states to assess their health facilities’ preparedness to handle heatstroke and other heat-related disorders as temperatures begin to rise with the onset of summer. In a letter, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the increasing risk of heat exposure and urged states to make health infrastructure more resilient to heatwaves.
The government emphasized the need for heat-resistant measures in health facilities, such as installing solar panels, ensuring uninterrupted electricity for cooling systems, setting up window shades, and creating shaded areas outside. Additionally, energy-saving strategies like cool or green roofs and compliance with NDMA guidelines should be implemented where possible.
The Ministry also outlined the essential supplies needed in health facilities, including vital medications, intravenous fluids, ice packs, and ORS. States were advised to ensure these resources are readily available to provide emergency cooling and treatment.
To further support water self-sufficiency, rainwater harvesting and recycling plants were recommended for health facilities. Public health and clinical guidelines on managing heat-related health issues are available on the National Centre for Disease Control’s website.
The Secretary stressed the importance of disseminating these guidelines to district health departments for effective preparation. Starting from March 1, patient-level information on heatstroke diagnoses will be collected through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) across all states and Union Territories, with daily surveillance updates.
Additionally, daily heat advisories from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which forecast heatwaves for the coming days, will be shared by the NCDC with states and should be promptly distributed to health facilities for timely action.
