Severe heat wave conditions in Telangana: Stay indoors from noon to 3 pm, people advised

Hyderabad: The Health department has advised the citizens not to come on to roads between 12 noon and 3 pm in the wake of severe heat wave conditions prevailing in the State with temperature constantly around 43 degrees Celsius.

Speaking to the media, Director of Public Health (DPH) Dr G Srinivasa Rao said on Thursday that the daily wage labourers, field-level company sales teams, healthcare workers, personnel from police and traffic, elderly population of over 60 years, pregnant women and children are high risk groups; they should be cautious, as sunstrokes have the potential to cause major health complications.

He said this year heat wave conditions were expected to prevail for long; this is bound to have sun stroke victims. "The entire healthcare machinery has been alerted and surveillance teams formed to keep a close tab of sunstroke victims and even provide them emergency medical assistance at the earliest.

Said Rao government hospitals at every level, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to sub-centre care facilities, have enough stock of ORS, IV fluids and other life-saving drugs. The department is working closely with NGOs and philanthropists to establish 'Chalivendram' units at different locations across the State.

Sun strokes develop gradually and could be fatal. In slum areas and weaker section colonies, ORT centres would be established under the guidance of health assistants and Anganwadi workers and with the cooperation of local public representatives, Rao stated.

The Public Health wing is creating medical posts at places of mass gatherings, public places and setting up teams to test quality of drinking water for residual chlorine, any leakages of drinking water pipelines to avoid contamination. "We are taking all possible measures, but people must realise that just like Covid, heat wave too could be fatal; they need to take precautionary measures," he said.