Health dept concludes review for heatwave preparedness
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They confirmed that adequate medicines and beds are available in hospitals and health centres to accommodate and treat HRI patients.The health department's senior officials conducted the inspections from May 6 to May 10 in 30 districts. The 11 districts were inspected earlier. The health department's state nodal officer (free medicine scheme), Dr Rambabu Jaiswal, said, "In five days, we checked if ACs and coolers are in functioning condition, proper facilities for clean drinking water, and if beds are reserved for HRI cases. The condition of ambulances was also examined, facilities of X-ray and sonography machines were ensured, and the availability of necessary medicines was checked." Dr Jaiswal visited Didwana-Kuchaman for inspections of health facilities.The health department has issued directions that medical staff should exercise special caution regarding heatwaves while ensuring that there is no shortage in the arrangement of fans, coolers, ACs, water coolers, health check-ups, medication, and treatment in hospitals. Officials should inspect medical institutions in the field. Instructions have also been issued to ensure that patients affected by heatstroke receive immediate relief through the Rapid Response System. All medical institutions should have sufficient quantities of medications and ice packs related to heatwave treatment, they said.
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NDTV
08-08-2025
- NDTV
"More Corrupt Than Lalu": Prashant Kishor's Jibe On BJP Leaders In Bihar
Patna: Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Friday flagged "serious irregularities" in the health department of Bihar, a portfolio held by the BJP all through the NDA rule, and alleged that leaders of the saffron party in the state are "more corrupt" than RJD president Lalu Prasad. Addressing a press conference, Kishor launched a frontal attack on state Health Minister Mangal Pandey, who is also a former Bihar BJP president, accusing him of "quid pro quo" with current state unit chief Dilip Jaiswal, whom the Jan Suraaj Party founder has been targeting for some time. Kishor alleged that the health department had placed an order for '1,200 ambulances' priced at around Rs 28 lakh each, which was almost twice as what states like Odisha and Uttar Pradesh were paying. He also claimed that in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pandey had purchased a flat in Delhi in his wife's name and Jailswal helped him in the transaction. The BJP has rubbished the allegations. "Pandey showed his gratitude by granting the status of deemed university to a medical college in Kishanganj in which Jaiswal has huge stakes," said Kishor. "Jaiswal transferred Rs 25 lakh to the account of Pandey's father on August 6, 2019 and that money was used in the purchase of a flat in the name of the then health minister's wife. Jaiswal even signed as a witness in the document of the flat purchased in Delhi's Dwarka," he claimed. Even if Pandey borrowed this amount from Jaiswal, why did he not mention it in his election affidavit in the 2020 assembly polls in the category of unsecured loan, Kishor said. "BJP leaders in Bihar claim to be unblemished, but in reality they are more corrupt than even RJD president Lalu Prasad, whom they like to attack over conviction in fodder scam cases and alleged involvement in railway scams like land for hotels and land for jobs," he asserted. The former poll strategist said Chief Secretary designate Prataya Amrit, who was holding the crucial post in the health department when the contract for the ambulances was finalised, also 'needs to explain the reason behind finalising the deal to a particular firm at an exorbitant price'. The deal must have been finalised after his (Amrit) signature, he said. Pandey and Jaiswal were not available for comments. Reacting to Kishor's charges, Bihar BJP spokesperson Niraj Kumar told PTI, 'Whatever allegations he has levelled are baseless and far from reality. He is talking about Rs 25 lakh that Jaiswal ji gave to Mangal Pandey's father, which was in fact a loan and returned to the former. 'Second, he mentioned about the deemed university status granted to a medical college in Kishanganj by the then state health minister, which is also far from reality. It is the education department that grants deemed university status to a medical institute, and not the health department.' On 'irregularities' in the purchase of ambulances by the health department, Kumar said 'not even a single penny has been paid to the supplier by the health department'. 'The matter... pertaining to the quoted price of ambulances, is pending before the competent court. Kishor is simply levelling baseless charges for publicity,' he added. The Jan Suraaj party founder also raked up a recent Rajasthan court order in which another BJP leader and Bihar minister Jibesh Mishra was held guilty of involvement in manufacture of spurious medicine. "The BJP leader continues to be in the Nitish Kumar cabinet despite the opposition's demand that he be sacked or asked to resign in the wake up of the court order," Kishor said. The court has not awarded a prison sentence to the Bihar minister, but ruled that he be under probation for a certain period. Kishor also deplored the police action against students in Patna a day ago and claimed that the CM may be "unwell, physically and mentally". "I have had personal relations with him, yet a chief minister who lets boys be kicked by police personnel bearing heavy boots deserves no sympathy," he said. Kishor also demanded action against those involved in the assault on a Bihari labourer in BJP-ruled Haryana. "The labourer was mercilessly beaten by his employer in Haryana. His hands were amputated, and he is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ambala. Why have the accused not been arrested by the Haryana Police so far?" he asked. PTI NAC PKD RBT
Time of India
06-08-2025
- Time of India
Under NQAS, more than 130 health institutions in Bastar get certification
Raipur: Over 130 health institutions across Chhattisgarh's Bastar division have been certified under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) between Jan 2024 and June 2025. The certified facilities include one district hospital, 16 primary health centres (PHCs), and 113 sub-health centres (SHCs), with 14 institutions located in the sensitive districts of Kanker, Bijapur, Sukma, and Dantewada, getting certified. State has ramped up enrolment under 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme, accelerating the issuance of Ayushman cards to ensure health access for economically weaker sections. In the past year alone, over 36,000 Ayushman cards have been created, covering 52.6% of eligible population, an official statement from govt stated. More than Rs 8.22 crore in health assistance has been extended to 6,816 beneficiaries across the division, it said. Speaking on the progress, CM Vishnu Deo Sai said, "This transformation wouldn't be possible without the active involvement of mitanins, health workers, and the health department staff. Bastar has always been a priority for our govt. We are committed to improving it further." To strengthen health delivery, the govt has made over 450 staff appointments in the division over the past 18 months including 33 medical specialists, 117 medical officers, and a dental surgeon, along with 75 state-level and 307 district-level recruits. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like For all your EV needs ScottishPower Learn More Undo An additional 291 vacancies are in the process of being filled. Health minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, who is undertaking a three-day tour of Bastar from Aug 5 to 7, reiterated the state's goal of ensuring equal access to quality healthcare across all regions. During his visit, Jaiswal will review major hospitals, hold meetings with autonomous health committees, inspect progress on the malaria-free Bastar campaign, and assess services in remote villages of Bijapur and Sukma. Highlighting the govt's resolve, Minister Jaiswal noted, "Even in areas previously considered unreachable due to insurgency, our teams are delivering services door to door. Under the NQAS program, Bastar's health institutions are becoming national benchmarks." The progress in Bastar, once symbolic of underdevelopment—now serves as a model of focused governance and inclusive growth, demonstrating how dedicated leadership can bridge even the toughest healthcare gaps.
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Indian Express
Heat health risks need to be understood as a slow, protracted disaster
The World Meteorological Organisation's 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report released on June 23 highlighted that Asia is warming at twice the global average with record highs in sea surface temperatures and marine heatwaves. Asia's warming trend between 1991–2024 was almost double compared to 1961–1990. Within the continent, south and southeast Asia experienced extreme heat during April and May, and in specific, the heat was centred in northern India in May. Are we effectively measuring heat-related illnesses (HRI) and consequent mortalities? How effective are the response mechanisms? The National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) was launched in February 2019. HRI surveillance was initiated under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in 2015 (subsequently digitised on the Integrated Health Information Platform), in the more heat-vulnerable states. It has now been expanded across the whole country. Instituting any surveillance system such as the National Heat-Related Illness and Death Surveillance is a complex task and we now have about a decade's experience and learning. The NCDC's evaluation, the 2024 report titled 'Heat-Health Preparedness & Response Activities, National Programme on Climate Change & Human Health', provides rich insights. The surveillance system collects aggregate data on heatstroke cases and deaths, emergency department attendance, cardiovascular and total deaths from all states and union territories from primary health centres and above. There were 48,156 Suspected Heatstroke Cases (SHC), 269 Suspected Heatstroke Deaths (SHD) and 161 Confirmed Heatstroke Deaths (CHD) in 2024 with reported increases in key daily indicators – emergency visits, total and cardiovascular deaths in the facilities. There has been a significant increase in reported SHCs over the last couple of years: 4,481 in 2022 and 19,402 in 2023 – the mark of a maturing surveillance system. Emergency attendance in the Reporting Units (RUs) increased from 3.6 million in 2022 to 30 million in 2024; total deaths in the facility from 86 to 74,216 and confirmed cardiovascular deaths (linked to HRIs to some extent) from 47 to 2,173. What is the robustness of HRI reporting? Reporting by the constituent units exhibit an expected seasonality: 20 per cent in March to 40 per cent in July; and the peak between May 15 and June 10 comprising nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of the annual cases correlated both with peak heatwave days and dips during the holidays and weekends. In terms of consistency of daily reporting, Gujarat, Telangana and Odisha are the better performers. The NHRIDS had 47,477 Reporting Units (RU) in 2024 and 55 per cent reported HRIs. The top three states were also Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana with 91 per cent, 89 per cent and 72 per cent of the RUs reporting respectively. Contrast this with 23 per cent of the 40,390 RUs reporting in 2023. RUs in key north and central Indian states that experience high heat demonstrated improvements in reporting between 2023 and 2024 but continue to lag behind the top three performers. There was hardly any reporting from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2023 but nearly 50 per cent of the RUs reported in 2024. And 30 per cent or less of the RUs in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana reported during 2024. Health systems preparedness is critical to providing treatment and reducing morbidity and mortality. These include availability of basic utilities, ORS (oral rehydration solution) corners, diagnostic equipment, emergency cooling equipment/appliances at health facilities, capacity building of healthcare staff as well as ambulance services. The NCDC evaluated 5,720 facilities across the country, 87 per cent of these at the primary care level. While there was relatively high reporting of availability of basic utilities, training, and community outreach, some of the more specific and critical elements need a big boost. Emergency cooling preparedness was available in only 32 per cent of health facilities including in only 26 per cent of the primary health centres (PHCs). Diagnostic equipment was available in 53 per cent of the assessed facilities. Six per cent facilities were found to have 'optimal', 32 per cent were 'adequate', 11 per cent were 'basic' and 51 per cent were 'inadequate' in level-appropriate preparedness. Health facilities in Odisha were found to have the highest level of preparedness while those in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, and Punjab were some of the least prepared. Preparedness levels of ambulances and mobile units are a cause for worry: Only 48 per cent had ice packs, 39 per cent had rectal thermometers (for measuring core body temperature, a marker of heat stroke), 13 per cent could provide conductive cooling (for rapidly reducing core temperature in exertional heat stroke), 63 per cent could provide evaporative/combined cooling (relatively less effective) and 57 per cent had paramedics trained in emergency management of severe HRIs. Notwithstanding the NHRDIS, multiple government agencies report varyingly different numbers with respect to heatstroke deaths during 2000-2020: 20,615 according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB); 17,767 according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and 10,545 according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Independent researchers forecast up to over 1.5 million deaths annually in a high-emissions scenario or a 14.7 per cent increase in daily mortality with temperatures above 97th percentile for two consecutive days. There is a need to look beyond acute disaster framing and Heat Action Plans (HAPs) need to build in more markers such as high night temperatures, heat index or the excess heat factor; as well as making it more local and agile, beyond standard templates. Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths and can exacerbate underlying morbidities, triggering episodic demands for healthcare. Heat health risks therefore, need to be understood as a slow, protracted disaster. Health programmes are built brick by brick; learning as we go along. At the same time, the climate emergency makes heat-health responses a moving target. The writer is chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health, JNU, a collaborator in the Wellcome Trust supported 'Economic and Health Impact Assessment of Heat Adaptation Action: Case studies from India'. Views are personal
