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Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Heat health risks need to be understood as a slow, protracted disaster
The World Meteorological Organisation's 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report released on June 23 highlighted that Asia is warming at twice the global average with record highs in sea surface temperatures and marine heatwaves. Asia's warming trend between 1991–2024 was almost double compared to 1961–1990. Within the continent, south and southeast Asia experienced extreme heat during April and May, and in specific, the heat was centred in northern India in May. Are we effectively measuring heat-related illnesses (HRI) and consequent mortalities? How effective are the response mechanisms? The National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) was launched in February 2019. HRI surveillance was initiated under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in 2015 (subsequently digitised on the Integrated Health Information Platform), in the more heat-vulnerable states. It has now been expanded across the whole country. Instituting any surveillance system such as the National Heat-Related Illness and Death Surveillance is a complex task and we now have about a decade's experience and learning. The NCDC's evaluation, the 2024 report titled 'Heat-Health Preparedness & Response Activities, National Programme on Climate Change & Human Health', provides rich insights. The surveillance system collects aggregate data on heatstroke cases and deaths, emergency department attendance, cardiovascular and total deaths from all states and union territories from primary health centres and above. There were 48,156 Suspected Heatstroke Cases (SHC), 269 Suspected Heatstroke Deaths (SHD) and 161 Confirmed Heatstroke Deaths (CHD) in 2024 with reported increases in key daily indicators – emergency visits, total and cardiovascular deaths in the facilities. There has been a significant increase in reported SHCs over the last couple of years: 4,481 in 2022 and 19,402 in 2023 – the mark of a maturing surveillance system. Emergency attendance in the Reporting Units (RUs) increased from 3.6 million in 2022 to 30 million in 2024; total deaths in the facility from 86 to 74,216 and confirmed cardiovascular deaths (linked to HRIs to some extent) from 47 to 2,173. What is the robustness of HRI reporting? Reporting by the constituent units exhibit an expected seasonality: 20 per cent in March to 40 per cent in July; and the peak between May 15 and June 10 comprising nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of the annual cases correlated both with peak heatwave days and dips during the holidays and weekends. In terms of consistency of daily reporting, Gujarat, Telangana and Odisha are the better performers. The NHRIDS had 47,477 Reporting Units (RU) in 2024 and 55 per cent reported HRIs. The top three states were also Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana with 91 per cent, 89 per cent and 72 per cent of the RUs reporting respectively. Contrast this with 23 per cent of the 40,390 RUs reporting in 2023. RUs in key north and central Indian states that experience high heat demonstrated improvements in reporting between 2023 and 2024 but continue to lag behind the top three performers. There was hardly any reporting from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2023 but nearly 50 per cent of the RUs reported in 2024. And 30 per cent or less of the RUs in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana reported during 2024. Health systems preparedness is critical to providing treatment and reducing morbidity and mortality. These include availability of basic utilities, ORS (oral rehydration solution) corners, diagnostic equipment, emergency cooling equipment/appliances at health facilities, capacity building of healthcare staff as well as ambulance services. The NCDC evaluated 5,720 facilities across the country, 87 per cent of these at the primary care level. While there was relatively high reporting of availability of basic utilities, training, and community outreach, some of the more specific and critical elements need a big boost. Emergency cooling preparedness was available in only 32 per cent of health facilities including in only 26 per cent of the primary health centres (PHCs). Diagnostic equipment was available in 53 per cent of the assessed facilities. Six per cent facilities were found to have 'optimal', 32 per cent were 'adequate', 11 per cent were 'basic' and 51 per cent were 'inadequate' in level-appropriate preparedness. Health facilities in Odisha were found to have the highest level of preparedness while those in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, and Punjab were some of the least prepared. Preparedness levels of ambulances and mobile units are a cause for worry: Only 48 per cent had ice packs, 39 per cent had rectal thermometers (for measuring core body temperature, a marker of heat stroke), 13 per cent could provide conductive cooling (for rapidly reducing core temperature in exertional heat stroke), 63 per cent could provide evaporative/combined cooling (relatively less effective) and 57 per cent had paramedics trained in emergency management of severe HRIs. Notwithstanding the NHRDIS, multiple government agencies report varyingly different numbers with respect to heatstroke deaths during 2000-2020: 20,615 according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB); 17,767 according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and 10,545 according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Independent researchers forecast up to over 1.5 million deaths annually in a high-emissions scenario or a 14.7 per cent increase in daily mortality with temperatures above 97th percentile for two consecutive days. There is a need to look beyond acute disaster framing and Heat Action Plans (HAPs) need to build in more markers such as high night temperatures, heat index or the excess heat factor; as well as making it more local and agile, beyond standard templates. Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths and can exacerbate underlying morbidities, triggering episodic demands for healthcare. Heat health risks therefore, need to be understood as a slow, protracted disaster. Health programmes are built brick by brick; learning as we go along. At the same time, the climate emergency makes heat-health responses a moving target. The writer is chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health, JNU, a collaborator in the Wellcome Trust supported 'Economic and Health Impact Assessment of Heat Adaptation Action: Case studies from India'. Views are personal
New York Post
02-07-2025
- New York Post
MTA worker recovering from brain surgery ‘viciously' assaulted by fare evaders at Brooklyn subway station: cops
An MTA worker who was recovering from brain surgery was 'viciously' beaten in broad daylight on Saturday by two women allegedly trying to jump the turnstile to avoid paying the subway fare in Brooklyn, police said. The NYPD are still searching for the women behind the alleged attack. 6 MTA worker Marshalee Reid, 51, was assaulted at a Brooklyn subway station on Saturday. TWU Local 100 Advertisement Around 1:15 p.m., 51-year-old Marshalee Reid was working on the mezzanine level of the New Lots Avenue subway station on the 3 line in East New York on restricted duty, since she was still recuperating from brain surgery she underwent last year, the Transport Workers Union said. Reid stopped to help an elderly person exit through the emergency gate when one of the accused women leapt over the turnstile. A second soon followed and slipped through the open emergency exit, according to the TWU. 6 Two women allegedly beat Reid. TWU Local 100 Advertisement The two pivoted as Reid tried to explain that they had to pay the fare and started to beat her, even whipping out a set of keys and slashing her with it. They also repeatedly punched Reid in the face and other parts of her body, according to the NYPD. Both suspects fled as EMS responded and transported Reid to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in stable condition. 6 Reid was still recovering from having brain surgery last year. TWU Local 100 Now, the NYPD is asking for help tracking down the women involved while MTA representatives seek justice. Advertisement Robert Kelley, Vice President for stations, is hoping for a minimum of seven years in prison for the alleged assailants — a punishment Reid seconded. Both said they firmly believe the NYPD will be successful in tracking down the women. 6 Vice President of stations Robert Kelley hopes the alleged assailants face a minimum of seven years for attacking Reid. TWU Local 100 'They used to give out desk appearance tickets. Now these perpetrators are being arrested,' Kelley said. 'There are consequences for their crime. I want people to know that they have to stop assaulting city workers,' Reid added. Advertisement In Gov. Kathy Hochul's January 'State of the State' address, she publicly acknowledged the dismal safety resources on NYC subways and pledged to post NYPD officers inside every overnight train. The effort, while a step in the right direction, still left openings for daylight crime like the assault that hospitalized Reid. In March, New Yorkers saw a brief dip in subway crime that only lasted a month. The NYPD's findings in April revealed that felony assaults on subways were actually up 9% from 2024 and a staggering 55% from 2019. 6 One of the women involved was wearing a cropped black top and multicolored shorts. DCPI The first woman who jumped the turnstile was described as being between 25 and 30 years old with a light complexion and cropped black hair, according to the NYPD. Surveillance footage of the attack last captured her wearing a black t-shirt, multicolored shorts and white shoes. 6 The second woman was wearing a orange cropped top and jean shorts. DCPI The second woman who skirted through the emergency door was also described as between 25 and 30 years old with a light complexion and short orange hair, according to the NYPD. She was last captured on surveillance footage wearing a pink shirt, blue jeans and black sandals.
Hans India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Transmit repo cut into lending rate, Reserve Bank tells banks
Mumbai: A RBI report has suggested that all banks should bring down their lending rates for speedy transmission of the policy rate, which was lowered by 50 basis points earlier this article published in the Reserve Bank's June Bulletin stressed that the financial conditionsremained conducive to facilitating an efficient transmission of rate cuts. Most of the banks have already passed on the rate cuts announced in February and April to their may be mentioned here that several large banks, including SBI, Bank of Baroda, and HDFC Bank, have already passed on the benchmark lending rate-linked interest rate to borrowers by the same margin within days of the RBI cutting Repo rate by a jumbo 50 bps on June 6. Besides reducing the repo rate by 50 bps earlier this month, the RBI had announced a reduction in the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 100 bps to 3 per cent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) in a staggered manner during the latter half of the year. 'Financial conditions remained conducive to facilitate an efficient transmission of rate cuts to the credit market,' said an article on 'State of the Economy' in the Reserve Bank's June 2025 Bulletin. The reduction in CRR would release primary liquidity of about Rs2.5 lakh crore into the banking system by December 2025. 'Besides providing durable liquidity, it will reduce the cost of funds for banks, thereby facilitating monetary policy transmission to the credit market,' the article added. The central bank, however, said that the views expressed in the Bulletin article are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Reserve Bank of India. The article noted that the 50-bps cut in the policy Repo rate during February-April 2025 reflected in banks'Repo-linked external benchmark-based lending rates (EBLRs) and marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR). Consequently, the weighted average lending rate (WALR) on fresh and outstanding rupee loans of banks declined by 6bps and 17bps, respectively, during the period February-April 2025. On the deposit side, the weighted average domestic term deposit rates (WADTDRs) on fresh and outstanding deposits moderated by 27 bps and 1 bp, respectively, during the same period.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
India reported 48K cases of heatstroke in 2024: WMO
New Delhi: Asia, the largest continent in the world with around 60 per cent of the global population, is now warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, according to a report released on Monday. India reported nearly 48,000 cases of heatstroke and 159 deaths due to extreme heat in 2024. The sea surface in Asia is also warming at nearly double the global average over the past decades, said the World Meteorological Organization's "State of the Climate in Asia in 2024" report. In 2024, the average temperature in Asia was about 1.04 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average, making it either the warmest or second warmest year on record, depending on the dataset. Many parts of the region saw extreme heat events this year. Prolonged heatwaves hit East Asia from April to November. Japan, the Republic of Korea and China broke monthly average temperature records repeatedly.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Asia warming twice as fast as global average, warns WMO report
Dehradun: Asia is warming at nearly twice the global average, with temperatures rising by 1.04°C above the 1991–2020 baseline in 2024, according to the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report released on Monday. The warming trend from 1991 to 2024 was nearly double the rate seen from 1961 to 1990, the report said, adding that depending on the dataset, 2024 was either the warmest or second warmest year on record in Asia. Large parts of the continent faced extreme heat last year. In Jan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that 2024 was India's warmest year since 1901. According to a recent report by Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment & Water (CEEW), India experienced its longest heatwave since 2010, with many states recording daytime temperatures over 40°C for an entire month. This resulted in over 44,000 heatstroke cases. The WMO also noted that several parts of India endured "intense heatwaves," contributing to more than 450 deaths. Record-breaking heatwaves struck countries across East, Southeast, Central, and West Asia. Myanmar logged a new national temperature high of 48.2°C. Sea surface temperatures also reached unprecedented levels, with Asia's ocean warming rate nearly double the global average. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cuối cùng, chơi miễn phí game chiến thuật hay nhất 2025! Sea of Conquest Phát ngay Undo Marine heatwaves impacted nearly 15 million sq km — about 10% of Earth's surface — with the northern Indian Ocean and waters off East Asia among the hardest hit. Rising ocean temperatures were accompanied by accelerated sea level rise along Asia's Indian and Pacific Ocean coasts, heightening risks for low-lying nations. The report also found that 23 of 24 monitored glaciers in high-mountain Asia, including the Himalayas and Tian Shan ranges, continued to lose mass in 2024. This raised the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and threatened long-term water security. "These changes will have major repercussions for societies, economies, and ecosystems in the region," said WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo. "Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll." Asia witnessed multiple extreme weather events in 2024. Tropical Cyclone Yagi, the year's most powerful, hit Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, and China, leaving a trail of destruction. Central Asia saw its worst flooding in 70 years due to record snowmelt and rainfall, displacing over 118,000 people. In India, over 350 people died in Kerala after more than 500mm of rain fell within 48 hours in late July, triggering deadly landslides. In Nepal, record rainfall in Sept caused floods that killed at least 246 people and resulted in over $94 million in damage. The United Arab Emirates also recorded one of its heaviest downpours in decades -- 259.5mm in 24 hours, while in stark contrast, drought in China affected nearly 4.8 million people and caused over $400 million in agricultural losses. Despite the devastation, the report also highlighted progress in disaster preparedness. A case study from Nepal showed that improved early warning systems and anticipatory action helped protect over 130,000 people from climate hazards. WMO stressed the critical role of national meteorological and hydrological services in saving lives and livelihoods as climate extremes intensify. Their work, the report said, is more essential than ever for adaptation and resilience planning across Asia.
