Lok Sabha Question No. 374 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Cases of Heat Wave Deaths
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: S. Ramalingam

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 374 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2023

## CASES OF HEAT WAVE DEATHS

## 374. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps or remedial measures to prevent heat wave deaths in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has any clear data on the deaths reported due to heat wave across the country during the last 10 years, particularly in the State of Tamil Nadu and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has any policy/data/action plan for reducing the heat wave deaths in the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (PROF. SATYA PAL SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (e):

Union Health Ministry has launched National Programme on Climate Change & Human Health (NPCCHH) in 2019 with an objective to create awareness, strengthen capacity of healthcare system and health preparedness & response, and synergy/partnership with other missions to mitigate the impact of climate change on human health.

Under National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), Union Health Ministry has taken several initiatives focused on providing technical support to states to address heat wave related issues. These include:

1. The State officials has been advised to disseminate messages to increase general awareness through various IEC activities and conduct sensitization workshops on heat's health impact and its prevention.
2. To strengthen the public healthcare system, NPCCHH conducts capacity building trainings/workshops of State/District level programme officers, health care professionals and health workers on tracking and managing of heat-related health issues.
3. Multiple advisories on health sector preparedness, including do's and don'ts are also shared with states.
4. "National Action Plan on Heat Related Illnesses" has been released in July, 2021 and also available on the website of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
5. States are further advised to prepare their state-level heat health sector plan with focus on awareness building, health system capacity upgradation and strengthening of health infrastructure to treat heat related illness and reduce related deaths. Till date, 28 States have completed their heat-health action plans including State Government of Tamil Nadu.
6. India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues heatwave alerts (early warning) and these are further shared with State Nodal Officers-Climate Change to ensure health facility preparedness and follow up.
7. To ensure adequate preparedness at State/UT level ,Union Health Ministry has released Guidelines on Strengthening Health System Preparedness for Heat-Related Illnesses (HRI) including preparedness, control and management in April, 2023.

Deaths as reported by States/UTs due to heat wave is at Annexure.

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## Annexure

| State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   | State/UTs-wise list of deaths due to heat wave   |
|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| States/UTs                                       | 2015                                             | 2016                                             | 2017                                             | 2018                                             | 2019                                             | 2020                                             | 2021                                             | 2022                                             | 2023 ( Till 30.06.2023)                          |
| Andhra Pradesh                                   | 1422                                             | 723                                              | 236                                              | 8                                                | 29                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | 4                                                |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | NR                                               | 1                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| Bihar                                            | --                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | 121                                              | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                | 8                                                |
| Chhattisgarh                                     | --                                               | 1                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                |
| Delhi                                            | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                |
| Goa                                              | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| Gujarat                                          | 17                                               | 7                                                | 0                                                | 3                                                | 8                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                | 35                                               |
| Haryana                                          | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                |
| Himachal Pradesh                                 | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 9                                                |
| Jammu &Kashmir (Jammu Division) Jammu &Kashmir   | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | 1                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| (KashmirDivision)                                | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | 2                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| Jharkhand                                        | --                                               | 4                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                |
| Karnataka                                        | --                                               | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | NR                                               | 1                                                |
| Kerala                                           | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 1                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 120                                              |
| Madhya Pradesh                                   | --                                               | 0                                                | 3                                                | 1                                                | 2                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 10                                               |
| Maharashtra                                      | --                                               | 7                                                | 9                                                | 2                                                | 6                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | 27                                               | 14                                               |
| Odisha                                           | 60                                               | 36                                               | 17                                               | 7                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 3                                                | 7                                                |
| Punjab                                           | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| Rajasthan                                        | --                                               | 9                                                | 9                                                | 1                                                | 3                                                | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                |
| Tamil Nadu                                       | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 12                                               |
| Telangana                                        | 541                                              | 324                                              | 108                                              | 0                                                | 42                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 2                                                | 20                                               |
| Uttar Pradesh                                    | --                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | NR                                               | 0                                                | NR                                               | 12                                               |
| Uttarakhand                                      | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | --                                               | 0                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| West Bengal                                      | --                                               | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | NR                                               | 11                                               |