Nagpur.
A two-day workshop on the topic “Heat Action Plan,” organized jointly by Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Public Health Department (Nagpur Division), was on Friday inaugurated by Mayor Pravin Datke. The workshop, being held at Hotel Tuli Imperial, Ramdaspeth, was graced by other dignitaries including Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar, Amravati Municipal Commissioner C J Gudewar, NMC Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Kakde, Additional Deputy Commissioner Jayant Dandegaonkar, Director of Indian Institute for Public Health Gandhi Nagar Dr Dilip Mavlankar, Deputy Director (Health Services) Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, NMC’s Deputy Director (Health) Dr Milind Ganvir, and Principal of Public Health Institute Dr Padmaja Jogewar who were seated on dais. Similarly, a team of experts from Ahmedbad and Delhi also attended the workshop.
Speaking on the occasion, the Mayor Datke said, “With rising temperatures in Nagpur, the poor and labour class people fall victims to heat stroke and other heat related complications. Three years ago, the NMC had set up shelters under Night Shelters Scheme. Since the poor and downtrodden people lacked that facilities to deal with heat stroke, the NMC and Public Health Department deserve appreciation for organizing such workshop in Nagpur after the Ahmedbad workshop. The workshop will help in initiating measures of permanent nature in deal with heat related ailments and preventive steps in future,” hoped the Mayor.
The Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar said, “Even though there is possibility of patients suffering from other diseases dying due to increasing temperatures the number of patients dying due to heat stroke or sunstroke is higher. Keeping this in mind, the results of Heat Action Plan implemented by Ahmedbad Municipal Coroporation have been positive. Now, the Public Health Department, NMC and District Administration, with proper coordination, can formulate plans on how to protect the poor people from the vagaries of heat,” said Anoop Kumar.
Delivering the introductory address, the Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar said that the workshop is the outcome of the lead taken by Principal Secretary of Public Health Department Sujata Sainik. The workshop will be benefited by the valuable guidance to be rendered by experts from Ahmedabad and Delhi over heat stroke and climate change. “In the year 2013, the first Heat Action Plan was prepared in Ahmedabad, the first in entire Asia Continent. Now, the second Heat Action Plan is being prepared in Nagpur. Hence the workshop assumes greater significance,” said Hardikar.
In the first session of the workshop, Dr Dilip Mavlankar guided on ‘heat and health’ subject with finer points. After studying heat and health subject in detail, Dr Mavlankar threw light on the effects on human health. He gave a power-point presentation on ‘Heat Action Plan’ being implemented in Ahmedbad to deal with global warming. In the second session, Ahmedbad Health Officer Dr Tejas Shah elaborated the finer points of ‘Heat Action Plan’ with stress on protection from heat stroke, and other heat related complications such as cooling centres at religious places, malls, community halls etc. Teachers should guide students on how to protect themselves from heat exhaustion and other heat related complications.
Similarly, Dr Ajit Rajiva, Bhandara Civil Surgeon Dr Devendra Paturkar, Dr P K Nandankar, NMC Medical Officer Dr Bakul Pande, IGMCH’s Dr Prashant Joshi and other experts elaborated on climate change due to increasing heat and subsequent effects on people’s health and preventive measures.
At the outset, the Mayor Datke, Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar and Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar lighted the traditional lamp to mar inauguration of the workshop. The programme was conducted by Dr Bhavna Sonkusale and Dr Sajiya.
– Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha(rajeev.nagpurtoday@
