Here is How Heatwave Deaths Are Preventable

By Dinesh C Sharma, Metro India, May 31, 2015

In this summer, twin Telugu States, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have hit headlines for wrong reasons. The continuing spell of heat wave has left several hundred people dead in the two States. Figures about people rendered sick due to scorching heat are not even being counted. It is no less than a natural calamity. The sheer number of heat-related mortality makes the 2015 heat wave bigger killer than cyclone Huhud and other recent disasters. Still the trail of death and illness left by heat waves does not evoke same response as other disasters like a cyclone or quake would do.

We need to tackle heat wave as “extreme weather event” and initiate adaptive steps. This will require steps ranging from massive communication campaigns to preparing our health system to deal with the calamity. Extreme daily temperature peaks are a significant threat to people not just in the two Telugu States but vast swathes of Indian landmass. So, we need to have a national heat action policy, from which should flow State and city-level heat action plans. Similar action plan would be called for preventing deaths due to cold wave in winters in the North. It is shameful if as a nation we continue to allow the poor to die in such large numbers when most such deaths are preventable.

The relationship between extreme temperatures and human health is now well recognised. Exposure to above-normal temperature for long hours causes dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Affected people may faint and show signs of exhaustion such as fatigue, weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and high sweating. Heat stroke can result in seizures or coma, which could lead to death. Growing urbanization, lack of greenery and spread of paved surfaces, and “heat island” effect are making our cities hotter than usual. This scenario is predicted to worsen with climate change impacts in future.

Read full story here in Metro India