Photo credit: Ajuntament d’Elx

THE Health Minister for Alicante outlined the plan for the prevention and attention of health problems derived from extreme temperatures on May 15. This programme will remain active until September 30. The activation of the programme which includes advice and warnings to avoid heat stroke was brought forward two weeks this year due to the unusually high temperatures experienced. As part of this programme Alicante has announced the threshold above which excess heat triggers health risks and mortality. The threshold for Alicante is 32 degrees due to the humidity in the area.

The aim of the plan is to mitigate the negative effects that excessive heat can have on the health of the population especially those in vulnerable groups like the elderly or pregnant women as well as those who work outdoors.

They plan to change the timetables of people working outside. There is a mandatory ban on carrying out certain tasks during the hours of the day when there are adverse weather phenomena that have been assigned an orange or red warning. Companies are also obliged to take appropriate actions to protect their workers.

Elche’s mayor Carlos González, along with city councillors Mariola Galiana and Vicente Alberola inspected the ongoing construction work during a visit on Friday, May 12. The group were joined by regional health professionals who showed them around the construction work.

The new building will feature five medical consultation rooms,with two new GPS, a paediatrician, as well as two staffed nursing stations.

During the visit, González announced that the health centre will open by September.

According to the mayor, “The construction is progressing at a good speed and is adhering to the planned timelines.”

Regarding the location, he highlighted its location near to the town’s social centre, saying that it will transform the space into a hub of public services in La Marina, improving the quality of services in the Elche district.

The total investment for the project amounts to €420,000, with €140,000 which went towards acquiring the premises and a further €280,000 involved in the transformation of the space.