AYUSH press release · 18 May 2026 · pibtracker filter

Ministry of Ayush Issues Public Health Advisory on Heatwave and Extreme Heat Conditions

PRID2262274 MinistryAYUSH Released18 May 2026 Reading10 min

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. *** SR/SV/SG (Release ID: 2262274) Visitor Counter : 2011 Read this release in: Urdu , हिन्दी , Marathi , Bengali , Bengali-TR , Punjabi , Gujarati , Tamil , Telugu , Kannada 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. *** SR/SV/SG (Release ID: 2262274) Advisory highlights preventive measures, traditional wellness practices and emergency response for protection against heat-related illnesses" /> 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. <a href="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/may/doc2026518872201.pdf" target="_blank">The detailed advisory is attached.</a> <img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image001MOWE.jpg" style="height:876px; width:680px" /> *** SR/SV/SG " /> var mPlayer = document.getElementById("background_music"); var mPlayAction = document.getElementById("playbutton"); var isPlaying = false; function playAudio() { mPlayer.play(); isPlaying = true; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "none"; } function pauseAudio() { mPlayer.pause(); isPlaying = false; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "none"; } //function HandleAudio() { // if (isPlaying == true) { // //Playing already Pause it // pauseAudio(); // } else { // //Play the music // playAudio(); // } //} var synth = window.speechSynthesis; function CleanHtml(html) { html = html.replace(/ /gi, ''); return html; } function stripHtml(html) { let tmp = document.createElement("DIV"); tmp.innerHTML = CleanHtml(html); return tmp.textContent || tmp.innerText || ""; } $(document).ready(function () { //for responsive tables $("table").each(function () { if (!$(this).closest(".table-responsive").length) { $(this).wrap(" "); } }); var width = $(window).width(); if (width $(document).ready(function () { var width = $(window).width(); if (width @media print { .sticky-social, .sticky-social_mb, .pull-right, #printPDF { display: none !important; } } .f_vl { padding-right: 30px; font-size: 17px; cursor: pointer; } .log_oo { // width: 20%; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; } .log_oo img { width: 150px; /*width: 100%; height: auto;*/ } .sticky-social_mb { position: fixed; bottom: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; width: 100%; } .social_mb { list-style: none; display: flex; width: 100%; margin-bottom: -8px; } .social_mb a { padding: 8px 0px; font-size: 30px; transition: all 0.8s ease-in-out; width: 20% !important; text-align: center; } .section1 { position: relative; padding: 10px 0px; width: 100%; } .sticky-social { position: fixed; top: 20px; left: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; } .social { list-style: none; } .social a li { padding: 8px 12px; font-size: 25px; transition: all 0.8s ease-in-out; } .social a li:hover { margin-right: -30px; box-shadow: 2px 5px 10px grey; } .social a li:hover .fa { margin-left: 20px; } .fb_b { /* background-color: rgb(59, 89, 152);*/ background-color: rgba(65,103,178,255); } .twitter_r { /* background-color: rgb(29, 161, 242);*/ background-color: #000000; } .whatsapp_r { /* background-color: rgb(77, 194, 71);*/ background-color: rgba(13,191,67,255); } .fa-envelope_r { /* background-color: rgb(219, 68, 55);*/ background-color: #e2123d; } .fa-linkedin_r { background-color: rgb(0, 119, 181); } @media only screen and (max-device-width: 767px) { p span img { max-width: 90% !important; height: auto !important; } p img { max-width: 90% !important; height: auto !important; } h2 { font-size: 20px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } h3 { font-size: 18px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } } /* === Film Roll Badge Styling(IFFI2025 countdown) === */ .film-roll-badge { position: absolute; top:82%; right: 20px; width: 230px; height: 70px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 18px, #6e2b8b 18px, #6e2b8b 36px ); border-top: 8px solid #9a2375; border-bottom: 8px solid #9a2375; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); animation: moveFilm 8s linear infinite; z-index: 10; } /* film sprocket holes */ .film-roll-badge::before, .film-roll-badge::after { content: ""; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 10px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 10px, #fff 10px, #fff 20px ); left: 0; z-index: 2; } .film-roll-badge::before { top: -4px; } .film-roll-badge::after { bottom: -4px; } .film-roll-inner { position: relative; height: 100%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; animation: flicker 2s infinite ease-in-out; } .countdown-text { font-size: 1.3rem; font-weight: 700; color: #fff; text-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4), 0 0 10px #000; white-space: nowrap; } /* === Animations === */ @keyframes moveFilm { 0% { background-position: 0 0; } 100% { background-position: 120px 0; } } @keyframes flicker { 0%, 100% { opacity: 1; } 50% { opacity: 0.9; } 25% { opacity: 0.95; } 75% { opacity: 0.85; } } /* === Responsive Adjustments === */ @media (max-width: 1500px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 68%; right: 18px; /* width: 220px; */ height: 65px; font-size: 0.85rem; } .press-section { margin-top: 35px; } } @media (max-width: 992px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 52%; right: 10px; width: 200px; height: 60px; } } @media (max-width: 768px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 56%; right: 10px; width: 124px; height: 55px; } .countdown-text { font-size: 0.9rem; } } @media (max-width: 576px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 59%; right: 5px; /* width: 160px; */ height: 50px; } .countdown-text { font-size: 0.85rem; } } const festivalStart = new Date("2025-11-20T00:00:00").getTime(); const festivalEnd = new Date("2025-11-28T23:59:59").getTime(); const countdownElement = document.getElementById("countdown"); const interval = setInterval(() => { const now = new Date().getTime(); // BEFORE FESTIVAL — show days + hours left if (now = festivalStart && now el.style.width = "350px"); clearInterval(interval); } }, 1000); //

For UPSC

Issued jointly by Ayush Vertical under DGHS (Ministry of Health) and Ministry of Ayush in May 2026; remember vulnerable groups—infants, children, pregnant women, elderly, outdoor workers, those with heart disease/hypertension—require special monitoring during heatwaves.

Original PIB release
pib.gov.in · PRID 2262274

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Ministry of Ayush Issues Public Health Advisory on Heatwave and Extreme Heat Conditions

For UPSC

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