The 'heatwave first aid' helping Delhi's pregnant women as they face extreme temperatures

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On a scorching June morning, when temperatures hit 43.9C (111F) in Delhi , Baby Kumari fainted, while rushing to a routine check-up at the nearby health centre. Pregnant with her fifth child and struggling to cope with Delhi's scorching temperatures, for a moment she thought she was having a miscarriage.

Fortunately, Kalyani Karan, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) , was by her side. ASHAs are part of India's million-strong network of female community health workers , trained to provide medical aid in emergencies. They provide doorstep health services in rural and suburban areas to reduce maternal and infant mortality and have significantly improved healthcare access for low-income communities in India.

"When Kumari fainted, I knew I had to quickly do something because her fluids and electrolytes were depleting, making it harder for her body to cool down through sweating," says Karan. "I took her aside, dabbed her face with a wet piece of my scarf, and fanned her with a punkha [a hand fan]. She regained composure after a few minutes, and I gave her some water mixed with oral rehydration solution [ORS], which I always carry," says Karan. She then quickly took Kumari to a district hospital. 

There a doctor confirmed Kumari was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion, conditions that could have escalated into life-threatening heat stroke if not for Karan's timely intervention with ORS – a mix of water, electrolytes and carbohydrates used to treat dehydration.

After these interventions, Kumari recovered. She cleans homes and works as a cook in the crowded and chaotic neighbourhood of Najafgarh, on the outskirts of Delhi. Last summer, temperatures reached 47.8C (118F) in Najafgarh , making it the hottest area in the capital.

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