Lady Reading Hospital: Over 400 cases of diarrhoea reported

Heatwave likely to continue over the next 48 hours

SHABQADAR/ PESHAWAR: Dozens of the city’s dwellers fell unconscious as the temperature soared, while a sharp increase of diarrhoea patients was reported over the last two days at tertiary care hospitals.

According to officials, dozens of labourers and elderly people fell unconscious in parts of the city as the mercury hit a sizzling 42 degrees celsius.

Worryingly, the meteorological department has predicted a further increase in temperatures over the coming 48 hours in parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

“It becomes hard to bear the scorching sun,” Akhtar Khan, a labourer waiting for customers on University Road, told The Express Tribune.

There was an alarming increase of diarrhoea patients reported at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). According to LRH Spokesperson Zulfiqar Babakhel, over 400 diarrhoea patients were reported at the facility in the last two or three days.

At least two students of the Government Primary School Hanjal Khel fell unconscious due to the heatwave. The students, identified as Asad and Waleed, were shifted to the nearby district headquarters hospital.

Up to 22 hours of load-shedding and the scorching heat created chaos in Shabqadar, forcing locals to take to the streets against elected representatives and Pesco officials.

Attendance at schools also fell dramatically.

Abbas Ali, a student of class five, said he was not attending school as there was no alternative power source like a generator or solar panels.

The student said load-shedding had increased to 22 hours a day and he was bathing in a local canal filled with toxic material left by marble factories, which ironically have power for 24 hours a day.

Nadir Shah, a social activist, slammed local MNA Aftab Sherpao, his son and PTI MPA for creating this state of disarray.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.