The Department of Health has launched a national policy or guidelines to deal with health risks in severe heat waves. Initiatives to protect pregnant women, children and vulnerable populations from heat-related health risks. UNICEF is assisting in this.
This policy was announced at Hotel Intercontinental in the capital on Sunday (May 5).
This initiative is an important step in keeping children safe in the context of Bangladesh’s ever-increasing damage due to climate change. In line with UNICEF’s global program ‘Healthy Environment for Healthy Children’ launched in 2021, the policy developed by DGHS will protect vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of climate change.
Minister of Health Dr. Samant Lal Sen said that the weather has changed due to climate change. People had to suffer due to the temperature rise in Bangladesh in the last few days. We have mandated this policy only when the heatwave reaches its peak. It is a timely guide which has been disseminated across the country. Doctors have been trained online in light of this policy.
According to Unicef’s report, the risks include, for every 1°C increase in temperature, the risk of preterm birth increases by 5 percent, and the rate increases by up to 16 percent during heat waves compared to non-heat waves. This means that the risk of preterm birth is higher during heat waves. That is, the higher and more intense the heat wave, the greater the risk. Bangladesh has the highest preterm birth rate in the world (16.2%) and is exacerbated by heatwaves.
In addition, UNICEF’s Heat Framework is included in these guidelines. These are:
1. Be aware of heat stress and protect yourself.
2. Easily identify the symptoms of heat stress.
3. Take immediate action to protect yourself and others.
4. If someone develops severe symptoms, take them to a health center immediately.
These guidelines aim to increase public awareness and encourage greater participation in heat health initiatives. To ensure the involvement of the larger community and the public, extensive publicity will be carried out about these guidelines through various government ministries, media and grassroots organizations.
According to UNICEF, by 2050, 99 percent or 35.5 million children in Bangladesh will experience severe heatstroke. This number is significantly higher than in 2020. In 2020, only 2.6 lakh children, which is 5 percent of the total number of children in the country, faced such risks.
According to UNICEF estimates, one in three children in Bangladesh, or about 20 million children, are affected by climate change every day. Children are exposed to adverse weather conditions such as ongoing heat waves, floods, river erosion, sea level rise and environmental shocks caused by climate change.
Speakers in the event also said that the occurrence of severe heat waves is increasing gradually in Bangladesh. It has created many health risks for people especially from April to August. UNICEF is committed to helping Bangladesh address climate-related health challenges and looks forward to continuing to work with DGHS, the Ministry of Education and other partners to build a resilient and sustainable future for every child.
AAM/SNR/MS
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