NEWS – Union Health Ministry has issued standardised guidelines for confirming heatstroke and heat-related deaths in the country. The guidelines are prepared by the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health and the National Centre for Disease Control

HIGHLIGHTS

• Criteria for Labeling Deaths:
  • Hospitals are provided with criteria to label a death as heat-related or heatstroke, facilitating evidence-based medical decision-making processes.
• Autopsy and Specimen Collection:
  • The decision to conduct an autopsy should consider factors like circumstances of death, age of the deceased, and available resources.
  • Collection and preservation of blood, urine, etc., for toxicological examination are recommended when feasible.
• Collaboration with Forensic Medicine Departments:
  • Autopsy is not mandatory in all cases of heat-related illnesses.
  • Hospitals with forensic medicine departments can collaborate for autopsies and send samples for histopathological evaluation to pathology departments.
• Awareness of Climate Change Risks:
  • The guidelines emphasize that climate change increases exposure to extreme heat events, necessitating accurate identification and reporting of heat-related deaths.
• Evidence-Based Medical Decision-Making:
  • These guidelines aim to enhance hospitals’ awareness and capacity for evidence-based medical decision-making regarding heat-related deaths.