Noida: Hospitals told to have 'cool rooms', community halls water & coolers

NOIDA: The health department on Tuesday came out with a heatwave plan involving not only health facilities but also RWAs and offices.
The RWAs were asked to stock water at community centres to help people who were out for long hours. As part of the plan prepared by the disaster management authority, government hospitals and health centres were told to set up 'cool rooms' with air coolers and ACs.
Offices and factories that engage labourers working in the open were directed to arrange for fans, coolers and drinking water in rooms for them to take rest. They were also told to ensure no worker was out in the open between noon and 3pm.
Frontline healthcare workers like auxiliary nurses have been asked to visit households in their areas and talk to people regarding precautions that should be taken and the possible illnesses from heatwave.
The disaster authority's plan comes days after 13 persons died from sunstroke during a programme in Maharashtra's Raigad.
Officials said health teams would hold a special drive to educate the elderly, children, pregnant women and those out for field work for long hours.
"Since most government facilities do not have ACs, we will set up cool rooms with fans and coolers. We will try to ensure similar facilities in community centres too. We will review the situation after a few days and revise the plan accordingly. Various stakeholders will be involved in this," said Dr Amit Kumar, the district surveillance officer in the city.
The senior official said medical teams were being sensitised about heat exhaustion, heat strokes and other clinical manifestations that may occur in patients of different ages and health conditions.
Officials feared cases of heat stroke would increase with the rise in temperatures over the next few weeks. The symptoms, official said, included weakness, a feeling of disorientation, lack of alertness, convulsions and other altered mental status.
The advisory said any person showing any of these symptoms should first be shifted to a cool place. If such patients are wearing tight clothes, they should be loosened and a sponging done with a piece of wet cloth. They should be made to consume ORS solution or lime water. Their body temperatures should be monitored and their muscles should be loosened with a message.
"The next few months are going to be quite difficult for the country in terms of the weather. The government has issued an advisory because a lot of people are affected by heatwave during this time. We are trying to educate people as much as possible," an official said.
In Ghaziabad too, orders were issued to set up 'cool rooms' in hospitals. "Dedicated wards have been set up at the MMG Hospital and the District Combined Hospital. At least 4 beds have been set aside at the health centres too," said Bhavtosh Shankdhar, the Ghaziabad CMO
The health centres, the CMO added, have been asked to stock up on medicines, ORS solutions and other equipment.