Heatwave Advisory: The central government ordered states to assess their health facilities' readiness to handle cases of heatstroke and other heat-related disorders on Thursday, March 27, 2025. In her letter, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava stated that heat exposure, especially in severe circumstances, may rise as summer approaches.
She went on to say that some areas of the nation have started to experience high temperatures, and that health facilities must become more heat-resistant by installing solar panels where feasible, setting up uninterrupted electricity to keep cooling appliances running, installing window shades, installing shade outside, and implementing energy-saving and indoor heat-reduction strategies like cool or green roofs (NDMA guidelines may be consulted).
The Ministry also stated that health facilities' preparation should be assessed to ensure the availability of enough amounts of vital medications, intravenous fluids, ice packs, ORS, and all required equipment to provide active, emergency cooling.
“Rainwater harvesting and recycling plants may also be explored for self-sufficiency in water,” she said.
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According to the Ministry, public health and clinical recommendations on 'Heat and Health' may be found on the National Centre for Disease Control's website.
“States should disseminate these guidance documents to all districts for effective preparedness of health departments and health facilities to prevent, manage, and monitor the health impact of extreme heat,”’ said the Secretary.
Patient-level information on clinical diagnosis of heatstroke will be gathered on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) for all states and Union Territories beginning March 1 through daily surveillance.
The Ministry stated that daily heat advisories prepared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and shared by NCDC with states, which contain forecasts of heat waves for the next three to four days, should be sent quickly to all health facilities.