Ministry of Health issues National Action Plan to the States for summer !

• Guidelines issued for the 1^st time
• Hospitals instructed to maintain the stock for summer diseases !

Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan

New Delhi – The Ministry of Health has issued National Action Plan to the States and Union Territories on heat-related illnesses and asked them to take effective steps to address the impact of heat in the summer season. For the 1^st time, the Ministry of Health has issued such guidelines.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes to Chief Secretaries & Administrators of all States/Union Territories regarding daily surveillance on heat-related illnesses that will be done in all states & districts from 1st March 2023. pic.twitter.com/vHd2Hv071G

— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) February 28, 2023

A letter written by the Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan to all the Chief Secretaries of States said, from 1^st March daily surveillance on heat-related illnesses under National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) in all states and districts will be conducted on Integrated Health Information Platform. “Please ensure that all the health facilities participate using existing P-form level login information and continue to keep line lists of cases and deaths as per the prescribed formats,” Bhushan said. He asked the State, District and city health departments to ensure implementation of heat-related health action plans and support in planning, managing and assessing response to heat along with responding agencies. The stock of summer diseases should be maintained by the hospitals. The Government should inform the citizens about summer. They should be instructed to step out of the house in the afternoon between 12 to 3 only if needed. The helpline numbers 102 and 108 are made available. These can be contacted in the emergencies.