Health ministry asks all states, UTs to release daily heatstroke cases data

Amid an intense heatwave across the country, the health ministry issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories (UTs) to start submitting daily data on heatstroke cases and deaths, along with total deaths from March 1, 2024, on the Integrated Health Information Portal (IHIP) under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH).

The advisory instructs state administrations to spread public awareness about the precautions to be taken to safeguard against extreme heat.

States and UTs have been asked to prevent heat-related illnesses (HRIs) through the provision of ORS packs, essential medicines, intravenous (IV) fluids, ice packs, and equipment to support the management of volume depletion and electrolyte imbalance.