Rupnagar, April 20: As per the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh and Health Director Dr. Hitinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon Rupnagar Dr. Raman Kumar Gupta, giving information regarding the advisory issued by the Health Department in view of the increasing heat, said that extreme heat can be fatal to human health but by taking some precautions, heat and its adverse effects can be avoided. He said that high temperature disrupts the body’s temperature regulation system and causes heat-related problems.
The Civil Surgeon said that newborn babies, young children, pregnant women, people aged 65 years or above, laborers, people suffering from obesity, mentally ill people, patients suffering from heart diseases, etc. should avoid high temperatures.
He said that to avoid heat, one should not step out of the house in the scorching sun from 12 noon to 3 pm, one should drink water after every half hour even if one is not thirsty. He said that while working outside in the sun, one should wear light-colored cotton clothes covering the entire body, use an umbrella, hat, towel, turban or scarf to protect one’s head from direct sunlight, and should not go out in the sun barefoot. People who work in the sun should rest in the shade after a while or keep a wet towel or cloth on their head to keep the body temperature at 37 degrees, always carry water with them while going out in the sun.
He said that seasonal fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, grapes, cucumber, tomato, ghee and tori should be used more as they have high water content. He said that during such weather we should consume ORS, lemon water, lassi, coconut water and other fluids as much as possible.
Dr. Raman Kumar said that wear sunscreen to protect your skin and sunglasses to protect your eyes, eat small meals and eat more often, bathe frequently in cold water, wear light-colored masks made of cotton cloth, if you exercise, start slowly and increase gradually so that it suits your body temperature. Keep your house ventilated and cool, try to stay on the ground floor.
He said that avoid cooking during peak summer hours, keep doors and windows open to ventilate the kitchen area well. Do not use cigarettes, tobacco, bidi and alcohol. Use tea, coffee should be kept to a minimum, avoid fried and outside food. Do not eat stale food, do not leave children or pets in closed vehicles.
The Civil Surgeon said that if symptoms like altered mental balance with instability, difficulty in understanding, irritability, ataxia, slurred speech, unsteady gait, seizures, hot red and dry skin, body temperature of 40 degrees or more, severe headache, dizziness, fainting and muscle weakness, convulsions, vomiting, rapid heartbeat etc. are seen, then the person should be made to lie down in the shade, his clothes should be loosened, fluids should be given to drink and cold water bandages should be applied to the body and a doctor should be consulted immediately.
He said that in case of need, one should call the toll-free number 108 for free ambulance service and to get more information related to health, one can call the toll-free number 104.
