Management of effects of heat—need for change

Abstract

In Western and central parts of the country temperature touches an high of 50°C and more with relative humidity not > 30%. The central and northern plains, western deserts, and tropical forest areas of Northeast have environmental conditions predisposing soldiers to effects of heat stress. There is also a growing body of evidence that heat stress that is physiologically tolerable can impair human ability to accomplish complex tasks of military importance. 9 Medical personnel must be prepared to advise commanders on the potential adverse effects of heat and to propose practical options for prevention and control of heat stress under difficult circumstances. They must be aware of all relevant orders and instructions on the subject. All cases of effects of heat including deaths must be investigated. Exhaustive preventive measures to combat effects of heat stresses which are implementable at unit and individual level are clearly laid down in Army Orders and Manual of Health for Armed Forces. Instructions are also documented to reschedule training and physical activities to avoid heat stress on troops. The implementation of relatively simple preventive measures can have a dramatic effect on heat illness rates in military settings. 10 Acclimatisation, BPET in cooler parts of the day, and pre-BPET medical appraisal can be effective in reducing effects of heat. Conventionally, cool rooms and heat stroke centres (HSCs) are authorised in the army to tackle cases of effect of heat. The peripheral healthcare establishment (HCE) like medical inspection rooms (MI rooms) and medical aid posts (MAPs) are authorised to establish HSCs and cool rooms during summer months (April–September) to render first-aid and treatment nearest to the site of casualty provision exists to procure ice for cooling purposes at the scale of 45 g/diem/man when soldiers are required to stay in tents and bashas. 11 For each HSC and cool room ice is procured, varying from 200 to 400 Kg in quantity, for the period ranging between April and September to keep room temperature near comfort zone and use cool water to render first-aid. The practice of using ice in HSCs and cool rooms for control of ambient temperature is not only ineffi