The Haryana health department has directed all districts to establish dedicated control rooms for heatwave- and flood-related illnesses in government hospitals across the state by May 18. This directive comes as the state braces for extreme summer heat and the upcoming monsoon season, both of which pose heightened risks of dehydration, heatstroke, diarrhoeal illnesses, and vector-borne diseases.
Control Rooms to Be Operational from May 18
According to a letter from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Haryana, Dr. Manish Bansal, a dedicated control room in all district hospitals shall be made operational from May 18, 2026, for coordination and monitoring of health-related issues arising due to flood, heatwave, and drought situations. The letter also instructs civil surgeons of all districts to ensure round-the-clock monitoring and rapid response to climate-related public health emergencies. Details of nodal officers and contact numbers of the control rooms must be shared immediately.
Mandatory Daily Reporting of Incidents
The department has made daily reporting of any public health incident or outbreak linked to floods, heatwaves, or drought mandatory. The communication states that daily reporting of any flood, heatwave, or drought-related public health incident or outbreak shall be ensured to the State Headquarters as per prescribed protocol. Authorities have been told to ensure the availability of infrastructure such as separate rooms, internet connectivity, telephones, scanners, photocopiers, and computer operators for continuous reporting and coordination.
Preparedness Measures
The letter also emphasizes adequate preparedness regarding the availability of essential medicines, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), emergency medical teams, ambulances, disease surveillance, and public health measures during the flood or heatwave season. As part of preparedness, Haryana will conduct a state-level mock exercise on flood disaster scenarios on May 14 across 13 flood-prone districts, including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Panipat, and Yamunanagar. Officials concerned have been directed to participate in the mock exercise, along with a preparatory tabletop exercise scheduled for May 14 from district headquarters.
