With mercury slowly shooting up in Chittoor District, the number of sunstroke victims thronging the rural hospitals is also steadily on the raise.
As on Saturday, four deaths were reported in the district, while the Three-Men Committee of the medical and health department at the mandal level is still verifying the casualties.
Senior officials of the medical and health department claim that all the 700 public health centres and sub-centres attached to them, in both urban and rural areas, were well equipped with the paraphernalia to treat the sunstroke victims. A majority of these health units, however, do not have proper beds to cater to the emergency cases.
No beds in Puttur
The Government Hospital at Puttur does not have even a single bed for the sunstroke victims. The paramedical staff makes the victims lie down on a pedestal outside the normal wards and administer fluids, while hot weather batters them again.
Ill-equipped
Instead of attending on the victims, the paramedical staff prompts their family members to change the fluid bottles, making it a risky affair. The situation is no different in most eastern mandals, though people here are more vulnerable to sunstroke with temperature recorded here is two degrees Centigrade higher compared to other mandals in the district. In Bangarupalem mandal, the cluster hospital is not equipped to cater to the requirements of over 80,000 population and most victims of sunstroke have to travel to the district headquarters hospital at Chittoor.
Revenue officials said that in Madanapalle Division too, which is generally known for considerably lower levels of temperature, the mercury is on the rise.
District Medical and Health Officer Koteswari told The Hindu that the poor medical facilities for the sunstroke victims in the Vaidhya Vidan Parishad-administered hospitals would be brought to the notice of the officials concerned and steps taken to rectify them. She said that all the public health centres and sub-centres were supplied with the ORS packets for distribution to the sunstroke victims. The paramedical personnel were instructed to undertake campaign in the rural areas to prompt the villagers, particularly the aged and children, not to venture out under hot sun.
The DMHO said that a meeting was held with the MGNREGS officials with regard to steps taken for the workers in the summer months.
Precautions to beat the heat
Elderly and children should not be allowed to move in hot sun. Umbrellas and sunglasses should be compulsorily used
Diabetics are advised not to venture out without footwear as it would cause blisters and sores, which may turn risky
People vulnerable to sunstroke and quick exhaustion are advised to take water, in addition to fruits such watermelon
ORS packets should be kept handy to cater to the requirement of children and aged
Instead of using water from refrigerators, use of earthen pots has to be encouraged
For emergency, family members of sunstroke victims can call 108 and 104 services for shifting them to hospital
Sunstroke victims should be brought to government hospital, and taking them to quacks should be avoided
Those who cannot avoid going out should carry with them water bottle.
Daily wage workers and NREGS workers should begin work early and finish them by noon. Work can be resumed in evenings
