Dr. Diwakar Singh, who was chief medical superintended of Ballia district, had told media persons of Friday that 34 people had died of heatstroke at the main hospital under his oversight. The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday took action against the doctor, reprimanded and replaced him for prematurely drawing that conclusion. A scientific team was formed at the state capital Lucknow and then sent to investigate the causes of death of at least 54 people in Ballia district, who were brought to the government hospital having complaint and symptoms of heatstroke. Dozens of them were brought at hospitals in the last three days between June 15 and June 17.

It was not only the conclusion of Dr Diwakar Singh. Another doctor, chief medical officer of Ballia District, Dr Jayant Kumar has further said that 23 people died of heatstroke in the district on Thursday, and 11 more on Friday, while adding that the “number of deaths has been more than normal.” He had even told the media that most of the dead being elderly people suffering from different ailments like diabetes.

Though the government officials are on denial mode, perhaps due to failure of not properly putting the heat action plan for health in place and a wish not to be exposed in the eyes of the people, pushing back against linking the deaths to heatstroke.

However, Dr SK Yadav who has taken charge in place of the removed Dr Singh, has said, “Elderly patients with comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes are expiring because of heat.” He even told media that the deaths were more than normal, and the excessive heat was to blame for the high death toll, whatever the exact link may be.

After about 100 deaths in India, including 54 in Ballia and 42 deaths in Bihar in two days, the government officials have advised the people in the country especially the elders to remain in their home during peak heat times in the day. Out of 42 deaths in Bihar 35 had occurred at two hospitals in the state capital Patna.

The state capital authorities in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh have said that most of the patients died were over 60 years of ae with pre-existing health conditions, which may have been exacerbated by the severe heatwave. Dr Yadav in Ballia has said on Sunday that some 300 patients had been admitted to district hospitals in the last three days for various ailments aggravated by heat, while in Patna, authorities said that over 200 patients have been brought in hospitals with complaints linked to heatwave, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Heatwave must be taken seriously in these circumstances, since India has been heading towards an unprecedented temperature rise, as it has been warned by Indian and international meteorological organisations. El Nino conditions are likely to bring hotter days ahead impacting even monsoon and winter.

It also must be noted that heatwave condition prevailed this year in February, ie one month ahead of last year, and had broke the record since 2019. Even last year, in March and April, India suffered brutal heatwave conditions. March 2022was the hottest and driest in 120 years, with temperature soaring to 8 degree above normal, and in the entire year the country underwent 200 days of heatwave conditions, which was five times of the 2021. India saw a 55 per cent increase in deaths due to extreme heat between 2000-04 to 2017-21, and according to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), 10,545 people lost their lives to hat waves. However, NCRB of India, cites only about half of the figure.

IMD has issued a heatwave warning for about 10 states and UTs – which included certain areas of Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Though, IMD has said that heatwave conditions are expected to gradually abate from these regions within few days from now, it should not be taken as alibi for not implementing the heat action plan of the country in the right earnest. Certain actions were taken as extension of closure of schools for summer vacations, issuing certain health advisories for people, and for workers 75 per cent of whom are exposed to heat, but these are too little to deal with the heatwave conditions with the emerging climate crisis.

IMD declares a heatwave conditions when either maximum atmospheric temperature exceeds 40 degree Celsius or 4.5 degree above normal, and severe heatwave condition when maximum temperature remains above 40 degree Celsius or 6.4 degree higher than the normal. Then there is the dangerous Wet Bulb Temperature (WBT), of which even 31 degree Celsius is exceedingly harmful to humans, while a temperature of 35 degree Celsius is considered unsurvivable if continues for more than 6 hours. We cool ourselves by evaporation, and hence WBT is measured by wrapping a piece of wet cloth around the end of the thermometer. (IPA Service)