West Godavari: Awareness on precautions to avoid sunstroke

Eluru: To prevent people from becoming victims of sunstroke this summer, medical and health authorities are carrying out an awareness drive on precautionary measures to be taken and keeping adequate stocks of essential drugs at all health centres to treat the affected persons in West Godavari. District medical and health officer Dr K. Koteswari told newsmen here on Saturday that as five persons were dead due to sunstroke in the last summer in the district, they were taking all necessary measures to avoid any loss of life this summer.

She said that they were carrying out awareness drive by roping in health personnel like Anganwadi workers and Asha workers to educate the people in rural areas on measures to be taken in case anyone suffers sunstroke. She stressed on the importance of taking the affected person to a cool place and making them drink buttermilk with salt, glucose or ORS and take the person to the nearest health centre for medical help.

She said that the health staff in the centres was already trained to handle the sunstroke affected persons and added that huge stocks of medicines and ORS packets were kept at health centres for the benefit of the affected people. As aged persons, pregnant women, lactating mothers, children and patients suffering from heart ailments or high blood pressure were more vulnerable, he advised them to avoid exposure to sun between 12.00 noon and 3.00 pm especially when the day temperature was very high. Also they should drink more water and liquids to prevent dehydration.