Cuttack, April 12: Alarmed over the intense heatwave condition sweeping across the state, the government has asked major state-run hospitals, including SCB Medical College and Hopspital, to be on alert to deal with emergency situations.
The temperature in Cuttack has registered a sharp increase with the mercury hovering between 40°C and 42°C while Bhubaneswar registered a maximum temperature of 45°C yesterday.
With the sweltering heat sweeping the neighbouring cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, emphasis is now being given on treatment of the heatstroke cases at the SCB.
After the Met department predicted that the heatwave conditions would continue for one more week, a dedicated ward has been set up at the SCB to treat heatstroke cases.
There is an apprehension of rise in heatstroke cases because of the persistent high temperature in the cities over the last few days. Health officials said that dehydration should also be taken seriously since it could turn fatal.
SCB emergency officer B.N. Mohanrana told The Telegraph: "A special team of doctors from various multi-specialty departments has been constituted to treat patients suffering from heatstroke. Though not a single case of heatstroke has been reported so far, there is every possibility of such cases, keeping in view the killer heatwave conditions in the state."
Moharana said a 12-bed air-conditioned heatstroke ward at the medicine department has been set up. The ward is also equipped with advanced life-support systems.
Another senior SCB official, however, claimed that there had been a sharp drop in the number of heatstroke cases due to adequate awareness among the city residents.
Apart from SCB, another dedicated heatstroke ward has also come up at the City Hospital. "Following the instructions given by the government, special wards have been readied with adequate coolers and fans. Adequate stock of lifesaving medicines, saline, ice blocks and oral re-hydration salt powders have also been kept in stock," said chief district medical officer Prafula Behera. He asked people not to consume stale eatables sold on the roadsides since it could cause various stomach ailments and other infections.
