Heatstroke and deaths data now being digitally recorded for accuracy in 21 states
climate change leading to severe heatwave and its impact on public health, doctors at 120 government hospitals across 21 states will now directly upload data on this platform to help public health policy makers take informed decisions. Manual data will be upgraded to electronic surveillance, a senior NCDC official said. The data is sent to the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
"The diagnosis of heatstroke deaths is a challenging process and cannot be done by any doctor. Only experts can identify the issue. Now, for real time tracking of such incidents, there are 21 states and 120 hospitals under the surveillance network." Heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness.
The body loses the ability to control temperature which then rises rapidly as the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. In heatstroke, body temperature can rise to 106°F or more within 10 to 15 minutes. There can be permanent disability or death if the person does not receive emergency treatment.
Symptoms of heatstroke include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, loss of consciousness (coma), hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, seizures, very high body temperature, and is fatal if treatment is delayed. "The summer season surveillance is done from March till around July. We inform about the number of heatstroke cases and deaths in the country so that impact of the heat is understood.
Climate change is a major issue and there has to be more work done on it. We are try to avert such conditions," the official noted. When it comes to recording data on heatstroke, states like Gujarat, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are doing well.
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