The Union Health Ministry has issued standardised guidelines for confirming heatstroke and heat-related deaths in the country. Prepared by the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the set of guidelines is aimed at helping hospitals become aware of the criteria to label a death as heat-related/ heat stroke and bring in evidence-based medical decision-making processes.
“The decision to conduct an autopsy should be based on the circumstances of the death, the age of the deceased, and the available resources. The collection of blood, urine, etc., for toxicological examination is highly desirable if the condition of the body allows it. When these specimens are collected and preserved, toxicological analyses can be performed as resources become available,” said the guidelines.
