PAHO urges Caribbean to prepare for heatwave

WASHINGTON, CMC –The Pan American  Health Organization (PAHO) is warning Caribbean countries to be prepared to deal with heatwaves that have so far affected several other nations.

Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe, India, Pakistan and Japan have been impacted by heatwaves.

It is predicting that the phenomenon will hit various parts of South America, and as a result, countries in the Americas should be prepared due to the impact that this could have on health, including the risk of death.

PAHO noted that over the past 12 months at least 24 countries in the Americas have been affected by heatwaves.

It said they include the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

“Weather forecasts for South America predict heat waves….could increase heat-induced stress, reduce the availability of water, increase the risk of forest fires and the loss of crops. Heatwaves can also cause power cuts, reducing access to cool air, refrigeration and air-conditioning.”

As a result, PAHO said it has developed communication materials to enable members of the public to be prepared as well as a guide to help countries in the Americas formulate contingency plans to address heatwaves.

It said that countries should strengthen the epidemiological surveillance of heat-related morbidity and mortality and improve the capacity of health services, training of staff, improvements in the design of new hospitals and equipping of existing hospitals in high-risk areas.

“Local authorities should communicate effectively through the media and other channels about heatwaves that are taking place as well as about inter-agency responses.

PAHO warned that exposure to heat may cause severe symptoms such as heat stroke due to the body’s inability to regulate temperature.

“People experiencing this may present with hot, dry and red skin, rapid pulse, nausea, cramps, and loss of consciousness, which may lead to coma and death. The majority of deaths due to heatwaves are caused by the worsening of infectious or chronic conditions. Other symptoms include edema in the lower limbs, heat rash on the neck, cramps, headache, irritability, lethargy, and weakness.”

PAHO said people with a higher risk of experiencing complications or death during a heatwave are children, older adults and those with chronic conditions that require daily medication and that reactions to heat depend on each person’s ability to adapt and serious effects can appear suddenly.

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