Heatwave protocol: Hospitals to reserve beds, set up treatment corners

Jaipur: The health dept has issued detailed guidelines to prevent and manage heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses amid extreme summer conditions, directing district administrations and public health institutions to ensure preparedness and swift treatment.

At district level, the chief medical and health officer will implement the heatwave action plan under the district collector’s supervision, in coordination with other depts and with support from the district disaster management committee.

A senior official said all medical institutions have been instructed to provide shaded waiting areas, safe drinking water and proper ventilation for patients and attendants. Hospitals must ensure functional fans, coolers, air conditioners and other cooling systems.

“Reserved beds have been mandated for heatwave and heatstroke patients — 20 in medical college hospitals, 10 in district and sub-district hospitals, five in community health centres and one in primary health centres,” he said.

Each institution must set up a dedicated heatstroke treatment corner or room for early identification, primary care and stabilisation of patients. Adequate stocks of ice packs or ice cubes must be maintained.

Institutions have also been directed to follow standard heatstroke management protocols and set up ORS corners. Doctors, paramedical staff, auxiliary nurse midwives and community health officers will be trained in prevention and treatment of heat-related illnesses.

Hospitals must maintain adequate stocks of IV fluids and ORS, as well as functional diagnostic facilities. ECG, X-ray and CBC machines are to remain operational round the clock.

First-aid kits will be provided to workers at MNREGA sites. Districts have also been asked to earmark dedicated ambulances for heatstroke patients, equipped with ice boxes, TACO tarpaulin and air conditioners.

Hospitals have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply, clean drinking water and operational backup systems, including generators and inverters.

Institution heads must report heatstroke cases at the district level, while IDSP teams will compile and upload data to the Directorate and IHIP portal. Any heatstroke-related death will undergo a medical audit.

The dept has also directed IEC campaigns targeting high-risk groups, including pregnant women, the elderly and children, along with wider public awareness drives through inter-departmental coordination.
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