Ludhiana: Local hospitals report a surge in heatstroke admissions, including severe pediatric and geriatric cases, as a prolonged heatwave pushes local emergency networks to their limits.The spike in climate-induced medical emergencies has prompted leading critical care specialists to issue urgent public health warnings, as overstretched power grids leave vulnerable families without air conditioning during the hottest hours of the day.At the state-run Civil Hospital, internal medicine specialist Dr. Sukhdeep Kaur reported admitting heatstroke patients on alternate days, with individuals presenting with high-grade fevers, acute anxiety, and neurological restlessness.The impact is significantly more severe in the private sector and among pediatric demographics. Dr Baldeep Singh, a pediatrician in the city’s Model Town district, reported treating approximately five heat-stricken children daily.“We are seeing children as young as 2 and 4 years old admitted with dangerous core body temperatures reaching 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5°C), which can trigger febrile seizures,” Dr Singh said. “Many cases occur when children play outdoors, but several involve families without air conditioning whose households simply cannot withstand the indoor ambient heat.”Geriatric patients are experiencing similarly high morbidity rates. Dr Gaurav Sachdeva, critical care chief at a major govt hospital and former president of the Indian Medical Association’s local chapter, reported a distinct influx of elderly patients suffering from severe sunstroke over the past 48 hours.“The elderly are highly susceptible to rapid thermal deregulation,” Dr Sachdeva said. “We are strictly advising anyone over 60 to cease all outdoor movement between 10am and 5 pm.”Public health directives advise residents to consume traditional hydrating fluids like lassi and shikanjvi (limeade), wear loose, light-colored clothing, and carry umbrellas. Medical experts warn that symptoms such as drowsiness, persistent headaches, or vomiting require immediate emergency intervention.In contrast, some tertiary care institutions report that public awareness campaigns have partially mitigated the crisis. Dr Rajesh Mahajan, a professor of medicine at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), noted that while emergency cases are severe, increased civic awareness regarding heat precautions has prevented a larger catastrophic influx of patients to the city’s main medical centres.
