Union Health Minister chairs high-level meeting to review preparedness amid heatwaves
New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting in the national capital to review the preparedness of public health services for heatwaves across the country.
Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), Dr Rajiv Bahl, NITI Aayog, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), along with India Meteorological Department (IMD) experts, were also present at the meeting.
Also Read:UP govt panel denies Ballia deaths were due to heat stroke
Many people are suffering from the scorching heat across the country.
On Monday, two persons amid soaring temperatures in the Gaya district of Bihar died at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College, the hospital informed.
A total of 58 patients were admitted at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College on Monday.
The Patna District Magistrate has suspended all academic activities up to Class 12 in Patna due to the ongoing heat wave. The order will remain effective till June 24.
Earlier IMD scientist Naresh Kumar had said that Delhi, Punjab and Haryana will witness temperatures up to 40-45 degrees in the upcoming days.
"The heat wave is continuing in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. An orange alert has been issued in these parts," he said.
On Saturday, Odisha's Sonepur recorded the highest day temperature at 45.6 degrees Celsius. Bhubaneshwar recorded the highest day temperature at 44.6 degrees Celsius, which was above normal by 9.7 degrees Celsius during the last 24 hours.
Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the official committee sent to Uttar Pradesh's Ballia to probe the alleged heat stroke deaths in the eastern district said that the 54 people who died were not heat-wave-related deaths. Fifty-four people have died and around 400 hospitalised in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia in the last three days amid soaring temperatures in the district, with officials offering divergent explanations for the deaths.
Also Read:34 people admitted to Ballia district hospital die due to severe heat in 48 hrs
