Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Union Health Ministry issued guidelines for confirming heatstroke and heat-related deaths, aiming to help hospitals identify such cases.
Heatstroke, a medical emergency, occurs due to overheating from high temperatures or physical exertion.
Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and increased heart rate.
Criteria for heatstroke include a body temperature of 40°C or higher, accompanied by delirium, seizures, or coma. Over 11,000 heatstroke deaths were recorded in India between 2012 and 2021. The government released a National Action Plan on Heat-Related Illness and the India Cooling Action Plan to address heat-related health challenges.
The current guidelines by the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) aim to help hospitals identify heat-related deaths based on evidence. Autopsies are not mandatory but can help determine the cause of death.
