PRESS RELEASE: HeatWatch & CITU Haryana Train ASHA Workers in Rohtak on Heat & Health Preparedness

As India approaches another intense summer, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers remain among the most vulnerable frontline workers exposed to heat stress. In 2024, Rohtak recorded temperatures as high 48.8 degree celsius, yet ASHA workers continued to provide essential healthcare services under harsh outdoor conditions without adequate protection from rising temperatures. A significant number of ASHA workers even reported experiencing severe dehydration, dizziness, fatigue, and heat exhaustion during peak summer months highlighting the urgent need for occupational health and safety measures. 

These concerns were expressed during a heat and health awareness training session conducted by HeatWatch in collaboration with CITU Haryana on March 20, 2025, in Rohtak. Facilitated by Dr. Tarana Ghosh, a medical practitioner from the Government Medical College in Rohtak, the training focused on recognizing early signs of heat-related illnesses, providing first-aid care, and advocating for better working conditions. The curriculum was strictly based on the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCH) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Emergency Cooling for Severe Heat-Related Illnesses guidelines.

"When we're looking after everyone else's health, who’s going to look after ours?," said an ASHA worker from Rohtak.

“ASHA workers are central to India's healthcare system. They should not only receive a living wage for their work, but their health and wellbeing, especially in the brutally hot summer months, should be top priority for governments,” Apekshita Varshney, Founder, HeatWatch, said.

CITU Haryana representatives emphasised that ASHA workers, who form the backbone of India’s community healthcare system, need urgent heat protection measures to prevent heat-related illnesses and fatalities.

ASHA Workers’ Demands:

• Government programs, surveys and any other ad hoc emergency work should not be scheduled during extreme heat conditions to avoid additional heat exposure for ASHA workers.

• ASHA workers must be given a mandatory break between 12 PM and 3 PM, the hottest hours of the day, to prevent heatstroke.

• ASHA workers must have access to shaded rest areas, clean drinking water, and oral rehydration solutions (ORS) in all work locations.

• ASHA workers should receive free medical check-ups for heat-related illnesses and coverage for treatment.

HeatWatch and CITU Haryana urge the government to take immediate action to protect ASHA workers from life-threatening heat conditions. With rising temperatures and the increasing frequency of heatwaves, implementing these protections is needed to ensure the health and safety of India’s frontline health workforce.

For media inquiries, please contact:

HeatWatch Email: heatwatchindia@gmail.com 

CITU Haryana Email: cituharyana@gmail.com