close
Friday March 29, 2024

One death reported as mercury level remains high in city

16 heatstroke patients brought to different hospitals; ASH MD, rescue helpline in-charge among five officials suspended for absence

By M. Waqar Bhatti
September 21, 2015
Karachi
Following a deadly heat wave earlier this year, the metropolis bore through three more days of extreme heat as temperatures on Sunday reached a baking 42.5 degrees Celsius and, reportedly, caused one heatstroke-related death.
According to hospital officials, 63-year-old Zahid was brought to the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases where he was said to have allegedly died of a heatstroke. However, with memories of the previous bout of heat which claimed over 2,000 lives, the city's roads remained deserted in the afternoon as residents advisably preferred to remain indoors.
Health authorities remained on high alert whereas an emergency was declared at the city’s hospitals. Leaves of all health officials including doctors and the paramedical staff were cancelled whereas heat stroke centres were established by both the provincial and metropolitan authorities at various locations in the city.
City’s health director Dr Zafar Aijaz claimed that only 16 heat stroke patients were reported to have brought to different hospitals; all of which were claimed to have been provided immediate medical care and discharged.
However, five medical officers were suspended by city metropolitan commissioner, Samiuddin Siddiqui, for being absent from their duties. The officials included Medical Superintendent of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) Azfar Moiz, in-charge of helpline 1122 Dr Anwar Sohail, in-charge of KDA Polyclinic Dr Saleem Memon and chief medical officer South Dr Rustam Laghari.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department the mercury touched 42.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday while humidity remained 20 percent. The temperature was said to remain between 39 to 41 degrees Celsius for Monday.
An official of the department said a low air pressure was present in Indian state of Gujrat and South Rajhastan, which had influenced the cool sea breeze in Karachi because of which the city had been surrounded by warmer winds blowing from Balochistan.

Ministers visit hospitals
Sindh Senior Minister for Education Nisar Khuhro and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah visited heatv stroke camps established at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Sobhraj Hospital and appreciated authorities for taking timely measures to deal with the emergency.
Speaking at JPMC, Khuhro expressed satisfaction over the hospital’s arrangements and treatment of the patients admitted at the facility.

Awareness campaign
In a session organised by the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), civil society activists stressed for the need to educate city residents and other stakeholders of the measures supposed to be taken during such an extreme weather, adds APP
They called for devising a policy to avert human loss since heat waves were reported to occur in city from time to time from now on.
Head of the Aman Community Health Programme and Aman Clinic, Khalid Pervez, said the people needed to be sensitised about preventive measures. He reiterated the need for improving the level of preparedness for all sorts of emergencies, particularly weather induced.
A lawyer and human rights activist, Jibran Nasir, said both the civilian government and the armed forces did not only need to train people for war emergencies but also for peace time calamities. “There is sufficient budget for it but nothing concrete is being done for it,” he regretted.
Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Joint Executive Director Dr Seemin Jamali said immediate attention was required for healthcare needs of the marginalised sections of the society. Mir Shabbar Ali associated with urban and infrastructure engineering at the NED University said vegetation was critical in reducing temperatures as they absorb almost 20 percent of the heat. Medical experts and civil society activists critical of the provincial authorities’ inability to timely respond such crisis, considering the massive death toll during the previous heat wave, called for the unfortunate episode to not be repeated.