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Rising summer heat: Pvt hospitals told to report severe cases

Rising summer heat has prompted Pune civic authorities to ask private hospitals to report severe heatstroke cases as the state strengthens heatwave preparedness.

4 min readMar 12, 2026 11:22 AM IST

Rising summer temperatures have prompted Pune civic authorities to issue a heatwave preparedness alert. (Representative Image)

As summer temperatures start rising, civic health officials have directed private hospitals to report severe cases on the centre’s health portal. At the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), plans for a 10-bed cold room at Kamala Nehru hospital are already in place while across Maharashtra efforts have been stepped up at primary health centres.

As part of a series of workshops to train medical officers in PMC and later at private hospitals, health authorities have stressed the importance of timely reporting and monitoring of severe cases. Dr Vaishali Jadhav, Assistant Medical Officer, PMC, said that rapid cooling is the most effective strategy for minimizsng morbidity and mortality from heatstroke.

While Maharashtra health department’s district-wise data showed Pune reported eight cases of heatstroke in 2024, it reported one case in 2025. As per data, 350 heatstroke cases were reported in 2024 in Maharashtra. In 2024 (when India had to face over 50 heatwave days and was confirmed as the warmest year since 1901 by the IMD) the highest number of cases (47) was recorded in Nashik followed by 27 cases in Nagpur. The year also saw nine confirmed deaths due to heatstroke, including eight from Washim and one from Bhandara. However, last year a total of 162 cases of heatstroke were reported across Maharashtra Among these, 40 cases were reported from Raigad, 20 from Yavatmal and 16 from Buldhana.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature and the sweating mechanism fails. The body is unable to cool down and body temperature can rise rapidly. The symptoms include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, loss of consciousness and very high body temperature among others. It can be fatal if treatment is delayed.

“Presently there are no heatstroke cases in the city and minor illnesses are being addressed at the OPD level,” Dr Aditya Bari, consulting physician at Poona Hospital said. “We are treating one or two cases of heat exhaustion at the OPD and advising people to avoid direct sun exposure,” he said. Dr Bari explained that symptoms of heat-related illnesses could include vomiting,nausea, heat rash, dehydration and headache. “The few cases that I have examined are mild and patients are directed to wear proper sun protective gear while stepping out and hydrating themselves,” he said.

However, abnormal temperature events can impose severe physiological stress on the human body and, according to Dr Mahaveer Golechha, Professor at Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, who has led several district heat action plans, said there was a need to keep a watch on the vulnerable population. “The elderly people at home also need to be protected from the heat stress by ensuring that they are adequately hydrated. There should also be a focus on reducing exposure to extreme temperatures at bus stops and inside the vehicles,” he said.

At the state level too Dr Sandeep Sangale, Joint Director, Department of Health, said that workers and labourers exposed to hot environments may be at risk of heat-related illnesses. “A series of measures are being taken to ensure preparedness for dealing with any kind of heat related emergency,” he said. As per the IMD, during March to May, above normal temperatures are very likely over most parts of the country. In Maharashtra, heatwave warnings have been issued for Thane and Palghar and ‘be on a watch’ alerts have been issued for Akola, Yavatmal and Wardha districts in the Vidarbha region.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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