Exclusive ward opened to treat heat-related illness cases at GRH
State government has directed the government hospitals to set up such exclusive wards with bed facilities; Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has issued an advisory
Government Rajaji Hospital here has opened a new ward with 10 beds to treat heatrelated emergency cases. Following the recent heatrelated illness cases which were reported in Tamil Nadu, the State government, as a precautionary measure, directed the government hospitals to setup exclusive wards with bed facilities.
The extensive measures by hospital authorities come on the advisory released by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
The ward which is airconditioned would be maintained at a temperature lower than the outer atmosphere as an immediate measure to treat affected patients, said C. Dharmaraj, Dean incharge, GRH.
He said that the doctors at the hospital had been sensitised to the treatment and care that should be extended to patients who would be admitted for heat-related illnesses.
“Treatments pertaining to heat strokes would be managed on a daily basis and essentials for the treatment like ORS solutions, wet blankets and ice packs are kept ready,” he added.
In addition to this, three beds were already set up at the Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative for treating heat-related issues, he said.
Though no serious incidents were recorded so far, some mild cases like dehydration, excessive sweating, giddiness and muscle cramps were treated as outpatients, Dr. Dharmaraj said.
He said that no heat-related deaths had been recorded in the district, but people with co-morbidities while experiencing dehydration could face deaths which would be recorded as heat-related deaths, he added.
“We basically identify a patient who is aected by excessive heat by recording their body temperature. A sudden rise in body temperature would immediately react on the patient when he is already facing dehydration. The rst step of treatment for such people would be to reduce the environmental temperature followed by bringing down their body temperature by administering either oral rehydration solution or IV uids,” he said.
In addition to the exclusive ward, other steps like arrangement for rehydration sources like water, ORS solution had been arranged throughout the hospital, Dr. Dharmaraj noted.
In rural areas, Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres, due to the unavailability of facilities, most of the cases identied as heat-related illness were referred to GRH, said a health ocial.
“While minor issues like cramps and sweating induced by excessive heat could be treated at the same place, serious issues like heat cramps and fainting are all transferred to GRH,” he added.