City Desk :
Health and Family Welfare Minister Professor Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Sunday said the national guidelines on heat-related illness are time-befitting as Bangladesh witnessed extreme and prolonged heatwave since April 1.
“We have to spread the instructions of the guidelines in every corner of the country to protect the people from heatwave-linked diseases,” he told the cover unveiling function of the ‘National Guidelines on Heat-Related Illnesses’ at a city hotel, reports BSS.
Secretary of the Health Service Division Dr. Jahangir Alam, Additional Director General of the DGHS Mirzadi Sabrina Flora, UNICEF Bangladesh Deputy Representative Emma Brigham, among others, were present at the function with Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam in the chair.
The health minister said, “Elderly people and children are the most vulnerable due to the ongoing heatwave . . . I am urging the people, particularly old-age and children to stay indoors to avoid heatstroke and other heatwave related complications.”
Alongside elderly people and children, people with different chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases are the most vulnerable for the blistering heatwave, Samanata added.
He said, “We have prepared the guidelines incorporating longtime heatwave impact caused by global climate change. The health ministry has sent the guidelines to public hospitals and taken initiatives to provide trainings for healthcare professionals.”
Earlier at a function, Health and Family Welfare Minister Professor Dr Samanta Lal Sen directed authorities concerned of the public hospitals to remain ready for extending healthcare services to people as the country is under the grip of severe heatwave.
He said extreme heatwave has put the country into catastrophic position and authorities of public hospitals already have been asked to keep ready for extending treatment services to the people.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Bangladesh, with UNICEF’s support, today launched the National Guidelines on Heat-Related Illnesses to protect children and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women from heat-related health risks, a press release of UNICEF said.
This event marks a critical step in keeping children safe as Bangladesh is increasingly buffeted by the impacts of climate change. In alignment with UNICEF’s Healthy Environments for Healthy Children global program framework, launched in 2021, the National Guidelines, jointly developed by DGHS with UNICEF support, underscore the importance of a primary healthcare approach in protecting vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of climate change.
These National Guidelines, developed in collaboration with experts from health and other sectors, provide a comprehensive framework for responding effectively to heat-related health risks.