A practical health guide for Gurugram.

Call 112, India's single emergency number, or 102 for an ambulance. For mental health support, Tele-MANAS is 14416, free and confidential. The women's helpline is 181.

Go to an emergency department straight away for chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech), severe bleeding, a serious injury, fainting, a high fever with confusion or a stiff neck, or any animal bite. For everything else, a doctor's consultation is usually the right first step.

Look for NABH accreditation, a strong department for your specific condition, the doctor who will treat you, the total estimate in writing, and whether your health insurance is accepted cashless there. Ask for the estimate before you are admitted, and ask what could change it.

Yes. A trained person collects the sample at home, usually in the morning. For tests such as fasting sugar and cholesterol, eat nothing for 10 to 12 hours before (water is fine). Reports usually come within a day.

Most adults should check blood pressure, blood sugar (HbA1c) and cholesterol regularly, plus thyroid, vitamin D and B12 when advised. Women should discuss cervical and breast cancer screening with a doctor. What you need depends on your age and family history, so a doctor should tailor it.

Yes, especially from October to January. On days when the air quality index is poor, people with asthma, heart disease, children and older adults should limit time outdoors, keep their medicines at hand, and consider a well-fitting N95 mask outside. See a doctor if breathing symptoms get worse.

Dengue is common in Gurugram after the monsoon, roughly August to November. For any fever in that season, drink plenty of fluids, take paracetamol only if needed, avoid ibuprofen and aspirin unless a doctor advises them, and see a doctor, who may ask for a blood test. Go to a hospital at once for severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding or extreme tiredness.

ABHA, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account, is a free 14-digit health ID from the Government of India that can link your health records. It is optional and free to create at abha.abdm.gov.in. You can save your ABHA number in your Atulyam health record.