Heatwave Crisis in India: lack of awareness hurting more than hot temperature

1.      Heatwave: Just drinking water isn't Enough.

It's really concerning to see so many people suffering from extreme heat and heatwave events these days. This summer is making us think about how our actions are affecting the environment that sustains our lives on this planet. We are currently experiencing the hottest summer in human history. Medical experts advise that the body's core temperature should not go over 40°C (104°F). Prolonged exposure to temperatures above this level can cause heat stroke, organ failure, and potentially fatal consequences such as coma or death.

When it's hot environment, you sweat a lot and lose water and salt from your body. This can make your body low on important minerals like magnesium and calcium, which can affect how your body works. It could even lead to seizures, trouble breathing, or death. Our bodies are mostly made of water, and if that balance gets messed up, it can cause big problems. Not having enough water can slow down your metabolism and digestion, and make it more likely for you to have seizures and breathing problems. Water helps your body stay in balance - when you're dehydrated, your body can't keep everything in balance, especially your temperature (figure 2). You can get dehydrated if you don't drink enough water, or if your body loses too much salt because of things like diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, peeing a lot, or breathing heavily. When it's really hot outside, this can make things even worse, causing heat stress.

Figure 2: Symptoms of dehydration. Source: Bing image search 

In very hot weather, drinking water alone may not be enough to keep you hydrated. When you sweat in hot weather, your body loses water and important minerals like sodium and potassium. Failing to replace these minerals can lead to health issues. To stay hydrated and keep the right balance of minerals, experts suggest drinking fluids that have these minerals, like fruit juices, buttermilk, coconut water, and oral rehydration salts (ORS). These drinks can quench your thirst and replace the minerals lost through sweating, reducing the risk of health problems during very hot weather.

Figure 3 Heat stroke vs Heat exhaustion. Source: NHS 

a.   Remember these signs of severe dehydration: feeling very tired, passing out, having sunken eyes, and not feeling thirsty. If you experience these symptoms, seek help immediately. If you ignore these signs, it can be very serious and life-threatening don’t them lightly in this case you need help right away and to drink more fluids. 

b.     Don’t try to be a doctor, seek medical attention if any life-threatening symptoms emerge.It's important to remember that if you experience any symptoms that could be life-threatening, such as severe chest pain, sudden difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, high fever or body temperature, it's crucial to seek immediate medical attention from a qualified healthcare professional. Avoid trying to self-diagnose or self-treat in such situations, as it could be dangerous.

2.   Follow NDMA Guidelines for Heatwave: Do's & Don’ts

Heat Wave conditions can result in physiological strain, which could even result in death. To minimize the impact during the heat wave and to prevent serious ailment or death because of heat stroke, you can take the following measures: -

·      Avoid going out in the sun, especially between 12.00 noon and 3.00 p.m.

·      Drink sufficient water as often as possible, even if not thirsty

·    Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose, and porous cotton clothes. Use protective goggles, an umbrella/hat, shoes, or chappals while going out in the sun.

·     Avoid strenuous activities when the outside temperature is high. Avoid working outside between 12 noon and 3 p.m.

·     While traveling, carry water with you.

·      Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, and carbonated soft drinks, which dehydrate the body.

·      Avoid high-protein food and do not eat stale food.

·     If you work outside, use a hat or an umbrella, and also use a damp cloth on your head, neck, face, and limbs

·      Do not leave children or pets in parked vehicles

·      If you feel faint or ill, see a doctor immediately.

·    Use ORS, homemade drinks like lassi, Torani (rice water), lemon water, buttermilk, etc.  which helps to rehydrate the body.

·      Keep animals in the shade and give them plenty of water to drink.

·      Keep your home cool, use curtains, shutters, or sunshades and open windows at night.

·      Use fans, and damp clothing and take a bath in cold water frequently.

a.      Tips for treatment of a person affected by sunstroke:

·      Lay the person in cool place, under a shade. Wipe her/him with a wet cloth/wash the body frequently. Pour normal temperature water on the head. The main thing is  to bring down the body temperature.

·     Give the person ORS to drink or lemon sharbat /Torani or whatever is useful to rehydrate the body.

·   Take the person immediately to the nearest health center. The patient needs immediate hospitalization, as heat strokes could be fatal.

b.      Adaptation (Acclimatization)

People at risk are those who have come from a cooler climate to a hot climate. You may have such a person(s) visiting your family during the heat wave season. They should not move about in an open field for a period of one week till the body is acclimatized to heat and should drink plenty of water. Acclimatization is achieved by gradual exposure to a hot environment during a heat wave. During hot weather, it's important to stay hydrated and take care of yourself. Find shade, wear light clothes, avoid being outside when it's hottest, and get medical help if you feel sick from the heat. However, after being in the heat, don't drink a lot of cold water right away. Let your body get used to the room temperature before you drink cold water. A sudden change in your body temperature can be a shock. (For more information go to Heatwave Visuals | NDMA, GoI.)

3.   Community Preparedness and Resilience

Only Drinking Water will not going to be solve the issue of heatwave. Addressing heat wave challenges requires everyone - individuals, communities, and government - to work together. It's important to have strong plans for dealing with extreme heat, set up cooling centers, and have systems to warn people early about heat waves. This can help reduce the impact of extreme heat events. City planners and architects should focus on designing buildings and infrastructure that use natural cooling methods, like green roofs, light-colored surfaces, and strategically placed plants. This can help lower the "urban heat island effect” It’s important to educate the public about the risks of heat waves, how to recognize heat-related illnesses, and how to stay safe by drinking enough water, finding shade, and not doing too much exercise outdoors when it's very hot.

As the world gets warmer, heat waves are likely to happen more often and be more severe. Communities need to get ready and be strong in the face of these extreme weather events. By involving the community, getting ready ahead of time, and using strategies that are based on evidence, we can all work together to protect public health and reduce the bad effects of heat waves on people who are at risk. Because climate change is making heat waves more frequent and severe, people and communities need to stay alert, listen to experts, and take action to protect their health and well-being during very hot weather.

Heatwaves are becoming more severe and deadly each year. It seems like we are behaving like the water in a pot - staying warm only when on the flame, and becoming cold when there's no flame. Everyone is talking about the current heatwave, but as soon as the monsoon rain starts, the issue is forgotten. We need to keep the focus on this issue for better disaster preparedness, climate change, and most importantly to save ourselves from extinction.

Image credits to Original Creator, no copyright violation intended, Education purpose only

By- Kuldeep Singh