Hwaseong City Provides Customized Heatwave Response Support for Vulnerable Groups

In-person and Phone Health Checks... Provision of Items Such as Parasols
Climate Insurance Benefits for Heatstroke and Sunstroke

On June 17, the city of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province announced that it will operate a customized heatwave response support system for vulnerable groups during the summer season.

The city has designated the period until September 30 as the "heatwave countermeasure period" and will carry out home health management and heatwave prevention activities for a total of 9,027 people in health-vulnerable groups. Key groups under management include the elderly, seniors with mobility difficulties, and residents living in poor housing conditions.

During this period, 25 visiting nurses designated as disaster assistants will visit health-vulnerable households in person or check their health status by phone when a heatwave advisory is issued, and will also provide guidance on summer health guidelines.

For 710 seniors living alone, who are considered a high-risk group for seasonal illnesses, the city will not only make welfare calls and send text messages during the heatwave period, but will also provide health care items such as oral rehydration salts, parasols, and sun-protective hats to prevent dehydration.

Starting this year, residents can also benefit from the "heat-related illness climate insurance," which is being implemented for the first time nationwide by Gyeonggi Province. Under this program, individuals diagnosed with heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke or sunstroke will receive an insurance payout of 100,000 won per person. This benefit is automatically applied to all Gyeonggi Province residents without any separate enrollment procedure.

Kwark Maeheon, head of the Hwaseong Western Public Health Center, stated, "As this summer's heatwave is expected to be prolonged, we are doing our utmost to protect vulnerable groups," and urged, "Elderly people who are vulnerable to heatwaves should avoid outdoor activities during the hottest hours and strictly follow basic guidelines such as staying hydrated."