New ward opened at GRH to treat heat-related illness
As heat wave was announced by both the Union and State governments as one of the deadliest effects of Climate Change, Tamil Nadu government in 2024 directed the Government Hospitals in all the districts to open an exclusive ward to treat patients affected by heat and its co-morbidities.
As per the direction, Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai opened a heat wave ward in 2024 and following that, in this year too, to tackle the heat-related illness cases, owing to summer, a new ward with 10 beds has been opened to treat emergency cases.
L. Arul Sundaresh Kumar, Dean, GRH, said that though not many cases related to heat were reported in the district, a cautionary ward with 10-beds would always be ready in the hospital.
When the treatment for a normal healthy person affected by the soaring heat would just be hydrating, the issue was only elderly people, children and people with comorbidities like diabetes and thyroid, he added.
Even when they hydrate by drinking water, they would require the necessary electrolytes to keep the body balanced, Dr. Arul Sundaresh Kumar added.
When they get exposed to sun continuously, they might experience irritabilities like tiredness, dryness, rise in body temperature and soreness, he added.
For such patients, treatment to lower their body temperature and to balance the fluids would be required. In such cases, IV fluid would be injected, he added.
Another doctor 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,' the doctor added.
'We basically identify a patient who is affected 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 first 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 fluids,' a doctor at a rural GH said.
In rural areas, due to the work nature of the people, many could be affected by the heat and such people would be treated either at Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres and in extreme cases, they would be referred to the GRH, said the doctor.
'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 the GRH,' he added.
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