The Ministry of Health and Welfare carried out a total of 696,566 heat-response health management cases through its home-visit health care program over about a month of severe heat, it said Tuesday. Under the program, nurses visit homes and senior community centers to assess and counsel vulnerable groups and people aged 65 and older on their health. The program's budget rose about 8 percent from 45.735 billion won ($32.3 million) in 2022 to 49.323 billion won this year. It draws on some 3,000 home-visit staff at 264 public health centers nationwide, and as of June served about 1.01 million people. "The role of medical institutions and public health centers that look after people's health is very important.