**Executive Summary**
On 18 May 2026, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s Ayush Vertical, in coordination with the Ministry of Ayush, issued a public health advisory regarding extreme heat and heatwave conditions for the current summer season. The document outlines preventive measures, traditional Ayush-based wellness practices, and emergency response protocols to mitigate heat-related illnesses. Key actions include maintaining hydration, monitoring vulnerable populations, and adhering to weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
**Key Points / Main Content**
**General Preventive Measures**
* Maintain adequate hydration by drinking water regularly and consuming electrolyte-rich fluids.
* Avoid direct sunlight exposure during peak hours and wear light cotton clothing.
* Incorporate hydrating foods such as cucumber, watermelon, lime, musk melon, ash gourd, and tomatoes into the daily diet.
* Limit the intake of caffeine and sugary drinks to prevent dehydration.
**Workplace and Public Event Guidelines**
* Provide shaded rest areas and mandatory hydration breaks for workers and participants.
* Implement acclimatization measures for outdoor laborers to adjust to high temperatures.
* Generate awareness regarding the symptoms of heat stress and heat-related illnesses.
**Traditional Ayush Wellness Practices**
* **Ayurveda:** Recommends cooling dietary practices including buttermilk, coconut water, and traditional preparations like Nimbukaphala Panaka, Amra Prapanaka, and Chincha Panaka.
* **Yoga and Siddha:** Suggests gentle Yoga practices and specific breathing techniques, such as Sheetali Pranayama, to maintain thermal comfort.
* **Unani:** Advises traditional cooling drinks and herbal applications to prevent sunburn and dehydration.
* **Homoeopathy:** Recommends specific precautionary measures to be taken during peak heat hours.
**Emergency Response and Medical Signs**
* Identify danger signs such as dizziness, headache, nausea, altered mental status, high body temperature, seizures, and fainting.
* Recognize heatstroke as a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.
* Contact emergency helplines 108 or 102 promptly in severe cases.
**Impact Analysis**
**General Public and Vulnerable Groups (Infants, Elderly, Pregnant Women, and Chronically Ill)**
**Impact**
These groups face the highest risk of heat stress and medical complications due to heart disease, hypertension, or physiological vulnerability.
**Action Required**
Must ensure rigorous monitoring for symptoms, prioritize hydration, and strictly avoid outdoor activity during peak sunlight hours.
**Employers and Outdoor Event Organizers**
**Impact**
Responsible for the safety of workers and participants who are at increased risk of heat-related emergencies due to occupational or event-based exposure.
**Action Required**
Must provide necessary infrastructure (shade/water), allow for acclimatization, and educate personnel on identifying heat stress triggers.
**Citizens and Residents**
**Impact**
Daily routines and dietary habits are affected by the need to regulate body temperature and prevent heat-related illness.
**Action Required**
Adopt recommended Ayush dietary practices and regularly monitor weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to take timely precautions.
Key Entities Referenced
Public Health Advisory on Extreme Heat/Heatwave: A comprehensive guidance document providing preventive measures, traditional wellness practices, and emergency response protocols for protection against heat-related illnesses.
Ministry of Ayush: The primary ministry responsible for coordinating the advisory and incorporating traditional health systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Yoga into heatwave management.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS): The technical body whose Ayush Vertical issued the public health advisory in coordination with the Ministry of Ayush to address rising summer temperatures.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): The national agency responsible for issuing the weather updates and heatwave alerts that determine the implementation of the advisory's precautions.
AYUSH
Ministry of Ayush Issues Public Health Advisory
on Heatwave and Extreme Heat Conditions
Advisory highlights preventive measures, traditional wellness
practices and emergency response for protection against
heat-related illnesses
Posted On: 18 MAY 2026 3:31PM by PIB Delhi
In view of the rising temperatures and prevailing heatwave conditions in several parts of the country, the
Ayush Vertical under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare, in coordination with the Ministry of Ayush, has issued a comprehensive Public Health Advisory
on Extreme Heat/Heatwave for the current summer season.
The advisory provides detailed guidance for the general public, vulnerable groups, employers, workers,
and participants in mass gatherings and sports events to safeguard themselves against heat stress and heat-
related illnesses. It emphasizes adequate hydration, avoiding direct exposure to sunlight during peak
hours, use of light cotton clothing, and consumption of seasonal fruits and fluids rich in electrolytes.
The advisory also highlights that infants, children, pregnant women, elderly persons, outdoor workers, and
individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as heart disease and hypertension are particularly
vulnerable during heatwave conditions and require special care and monitoring.
Special precautions have been advised for workplaces, public gatherings and outdoor activities, including
provision of shaded rest areas, regular hydration breaks, acclimatization measures for workers, and
awareness generation regarding symptoms of heat stress.
The advisory cautions citizens to remain alert for danger signs of heat-related illnesses such as dizziness,
headache, nausea, altered mental status, high body temperature, dehydration, seizures and fainting.
Heatstroke has been identified as a medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention. The
advisory recommends promptly calling emergency helplines 108/102 in severe cases.
As part of the addendum issued by the Ayush Vertical under DGHS, the advisory also incorporates
traditional wellness and preventive measures from various Ayush systems including Ayurveda, Siddha,
Yoga, Unani and Homoeopathy for combating heatwave conditions.
The Ayurveda section recommends cooling dietary practices, intake of hydrating beverages such as
buttermilk, coconut water and lemon-based drinks, and use of traditional preparations including
Nimbukaphala Panaka, Amra Prapanaka and Chincha Panaka to help regulate body temperature during
extreme heat.
The Siddha and Yoga sections advise the adoption of cooling refreshments and breathing techniques such
as Sheetali Pranayama and gentle Yoga practices for maintaining thermal comfort and reducing heat stress.The Unani system recommends traditional cooling drinks and herbal applications to prevent sunburn and
dehydration, while the Homoeopathy section suggests precautionary measures during peak heat hours.
The advisory further encourages the public to include hydrating and cooling traditional food items such as
cucumber, watermelon, lime, musk melon, ash gourd and tomatoes in their daily diet during the summer
season.
Citizens have also been advised to regularly follow weather updates issued by the India Meteorological
Department (IMD) and take necessary precautions during heatwave alerts.
The detailed advisory is attached.***
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