Officials, doctors discuss ways to combat heat wave

Summer is here and it's that time of the year when people on the streets have to be extra cautious -- as the sun's heat may cause severe damage to their health.

Medical professionals, health experts and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials gathered on Tuesday at a seminar to seek measures for protecting civilians from impending heat waves.

Experts at the workshop, held at the south zone AMC office, talked about 'Health Effects of Heat in Relation to Climate Change-Building Resistance to and Protecting Local Residents from Increasing Extreme Heat in Ahmedabad'.

According to Anjali Jaiswal, director, Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), "The project is aimed at using science to help people combat extreme heat conditions. We work with four pockets of society- slum dwellers, outdoor workers, medical officers and AMC officers. While we create a healthier environment in an attempt to build resilience among the civilians, it is vital to create awareness among doctors on how to keep their buildings cool and what possible chances of heat wave attack there are."

Jaiswal said in the next one year, 25 such workshops, seminars and lectures will be organised in the city. After the workshops are held, strategies will be devised with regards to communication plans, early heat wave warning systems, changes in AMC and medical officers' training materials to tackle better summer problems, said Jaiswal.
Research will be conducted in order to find out the temperature at which the mortality and morbidity in the city increases, said Dr Dileep Mavlankar, dean, Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH).
He said, "It is vital to refine or change the definition of heat waves on the basis of these figures. Data will be collected from AMC and Met departments and a cut-off point, if any, will be decided for the increased mortality and morbidity. Then, like medical representatives prepare for the monsoons, they can also gear up for extreme heat in summers."

Dr Radhika Khosla from NRDC suggested a few measures that can be practiced by existing builders and architects to fight the heat waves.

Lesser or eco-friendly lighting, buildings well aired and ventilated, use of appliances approved by the bureau of energy efficiency, installation of high reflective or rooftop gardens-were some of the suggestions made by Dr Khosla.

Other knowledge partners for the workshop included Public Health Foundation of India and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Mt. Sinai. It was supported partly by AMC and Climate & Development Knowledge Network.