Make arrangements for saline, ice bags: Health dept asks hospitals

With the state meteorological department predicting further rise in the temperature and a heat wave alert in the South Bengal districts and also three districts of North Bengal, the state health department on Tuesday issued a circular to all the state-run hospitals and the primary health centres to make adequate arrangements for saline, ORS and ice bags. 

The health department has given a clear instruction to the hospitals that if anybody complains of ailments caused by excessive heat, that person should get treatment on an urgent basis. 

If the doctors feel the need, they can admit the patients in the hospital. In the circular the health department has given a detailed instruction on how to handle the situation if a patient is suffering from heat stroke. 

It is advisable that if a person falls ill due to heat wave that has been sweeping through various parts of the district, he/she should immediately be taken to the nearest hospital and health centre. 

In case of a patient suffering from heat stroke it is necessary to take him/her to a hospital without wasting time. Even all the primary health centres at villages have been asked to stock adequate saline, ORS and ice bags. 

In view of temperature rising beyond the normal limit, the health department has taken up the precautionary measures. 

According to information, a 60-year-old man whose identification is yet to be divulged by the police was found dead on a platform in Garia station on Tuesday morning. 

Police said the man was lying on the platform for a while and later he was rushed to the hospital. It has been suspected that the victim had died after suffering a heat stroke.

Three persons have so far died in the state due to heat wave. The situation may deteriorate if it continues to be like this. 

The Met office has predicted that heat wave will be sweeping through the Western, South Bengal districts and also the three districts of North Bengal — North and South Dinajpur and Burdwan in the next couple of days. 

The city on Tuesday recorded the day temperature at 40.6 degrees Celsius while in Bankura the temperature was 43 degrees Celsius. 

Heat wave was sweeping all the districts in the Southern and Western parts of the state. 

The three North Bengal districts were no exception. According to the Met office, there will be no respite from heat for people during the Poila Boisakh, Bengali New Year. There was high level of discomfort in the city due to humidity. 

The heat wave condition also prevails in the adjacent states like Jharkhand, Birhar and Odisha. 

According to Met office, heat wave has been sweeping into West Bengal from the central parts of the country. 

As there is no high pressure turf created over the Bay of Bengal, the hot and humid condition prevails, as per the observation of the Alipore Met office. 

People have not witnessed such a rise in temperature during this time of the year in last few years. 

The doctors are advising the people to stay in-door between 12 pm and 3 pm to prevent the heat wave. 

People are also advised to take more water, fruit juice and wear cotton clothes. If anyone has to go out in the sun during noon, he or she should wear sunglass and cap to save themselves from the scorching sun.