Karachi
A heat wave alert was sounded at all public hospitals, while health authorities were directed to set up emergency relief centres in the six districts of the metropolis following the Met department’s warnings. The heat spell is expected to last from Friday (today) till Sunday.
The emergency was declared by the government in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year’s catastrophe which claimed over 1,500 lives during a heat wave that persisted for at least a week.
With the Met department failing to issue a warning despite it being Ramzan, coupled with the unpreparedness of the health authorities and the callousness of the metropolis’ water and power utilities, the city ran out of space to bury its dead after hundreds suffered severe heat strokes.
Met department Karachi director, Abdur Rashid, informed The News that a high pressure vacuum was present over Iran and Afghanistan which was expected to move towards Karachi on Friday. The winds were to take a gradual south-westerly turn from the north-west causing for the city’s usual sea breeze to stop and instead hot and dry winds to blow.
“The temperature would increase from 38 degree Celsius to 40 degree Celsius, from Friday to Sunday, in the day time; it would start attaining a normal temperature from Wednesday onwards.” The official stated that weather in Karachi normally starts getting warmer till April ends but the months of May and June were going to get warmer than usual owing to changing climatic conditions.
Following the warning, the city commissioner’s office cancelled all causal and station leaves of doctors and paramedics of public hospitals in Karachi and directed medical superintendents and health authorities to remain vigilant.
A letter undersigned by city commissioner Syed Asif Hyder Shah was issued to all relevant departments, especially to the KMC and provincial government’s health departments, declaring a high alert.
Deputy commissioners of all six districts of the city were asked to set up at least 10 emergency relief centres in each district, besides also setting up camps for provision of cold water and shade to pedestrians.
Officials’ visits
Shah expressed satisfaction of the arrangements done by the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s (JPMC) emergency ward and other tertiary-care hospitals, during a visit.
Provincial director general health Dr Hasan Murad Shah along with director health Karachi Dr Abdul Shakoor Abbasi visited the government hospital in Saudabad and Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town.
Dr Abbasi said that arrangements at Qatar Hospital were excellent while the Saudabad hospital was directed to allocate 50 beds for heat stroke patients.
“We would be visiting public hospitals in Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, New Karachi and Ibrahim Hyderi on Friday (today). The government is trying to ensure that all health facilities were well equipped to deal with all kinds of emergencies,” he added.
CM’s directives
Chief minister Qaim Ali Shah directed the city commissioner and other concerned authorities to ensure water and electricity was supplied without any interruption during the next three days.
The CM directed for all hospitals to have a stock of medicines, and ordered for all doctors and paramedics to remain on duty as well as ambulance drivers.
Qaim further called for there to be no shortage of water in any area, whereas water tankers were ordered to be stationed in all areas. K-Electric was asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the city.