Data shared by 108 emergency service suggests that this summer heat related cases have been on the rise both in the city and the state. In Ahmedabad alone the cases of gastroenteritis and dehydration two of the most commonly reported cases during summer increased from 198 in March to 328 in April, this year. The cases have also doubled since 2017. Against just 170 cases, the number has surged to 328 cases in 2019. The overall number of calls being handled by the service has also seen a surge from 4545 in the year 2017 to 5137 in 2019 for the month of April.
It should be noted that despite a spell of rain, the city has seen at least two heat waves this month.
Dr Vivek Dave, a critical care specialist with Narayana Multispecialty Hospital said cases of heat related ailments often can be put in three categories, those of heat related exhaustion, cramps and stroke.
It is often the ones that fall in the third category that require critical care.
"In fact a lot of the cases are a result of sheer negligence on the part of patients. Inadequate care in keeping themselves hydrated is often the primary reason," said Dr Dave.
He said old people and very young children are often at higher risk of heat related ailments even if they were to spend less time being exposed to heat. "It is because both are unable to properly regulate their body temperature," said Dr Dave.
He said senior citizens who have other conditions like hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailments also are more susceptible to such weather extremities.
Dr Dave said the cases being reported are of gastroenteritis and particularly Urinary Tract Infection among female patients.
Across the state cases of dehydration and gastroenteritis jumped from 970 in April 2017 to 1,730 in 2019. It rose form 837 in March 2017 to 1,466 to 2019. Overall the number of cases surged from 19,356 to 22,327 in 2017 to 2019.
Dr Dave also had a word of advice about misguided notions of protecting children from the heat. "Parents when out with their children often leave them in the car for 10 to 15 minutes in order prevent them from the heat. But what they forget is that a parked car can be a very hot place in this weather and can in fact end up adversely affecting the children," said Dr Dave.
He also advised that gulping down aerated drinks as a means of hydration was wrong. "What it actually does is harm you instead of helping you. One should stick to cold water, lemonade, buttermilk and such if one needs to keep themselves hydrated," said Dr Dave.
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