State government strategy helped curb heatwave related deaths: Harish Rao

A total of 66 senior doctors underwent special training on the emergency response needed to handle heatwave victims, he said.

Hyderabad: A multi-pronged strategy deployed by the State government helped curb the heatwave related deaths this summer, Health Minister, T Harish Rao on Wednesday said.

“In the first week of March, we decided to focus on capacity building and deputed two trained doctors each to 33 districts of Telangana, who imparted training and skill upgradation while handling heatwave victims to local field level health care workers and doctors at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), UPHCs, Area and District Hospitals,” T Harish Rao, in a review meeting on heatwave preparedness held by union Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya with Health Ministers of seven other states on Wednesday, said.

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Before deputation to the districts, a total of 66 senior doctors underwent special training on the emergency response needed to handle heatwave victims during severe heat wave.

“We ensured that almost all the field level workers and doctors in districts and remote areas, which bore the brunt of this year’s heatwave, were well trained and ready to handle the victims,” T Harish Rao said.

Apart from capacity building exercise, the public health response and government hospitals were on high alert to extend prompt medical services to the heat wave victims between April and June. A major awareness campaign on precautions from heat wave was taken-up. Enough stock of life-saving drugs was also made available at PHC, UPHC, Area and District Hospitals, Harish Rao said.

Public spaces such as bus terminals, railway stations, regions that were witnessing heavy construction activity were provided with drinking water facilities and shade. Dedicated beds in government hospitals were set aside to treat heat stroke victims. The 108 emergency ambulance services were stocked with medicines and were made accessible to vulnerable regions, Health Minister, in the review meeting, which was also attended by all senior health officials from Telangana, had said.