Over 350 heatstroke patients hospitalised

Health authorities ask citizens to stay home to avoid heat-related strokes

RAWALPINDI:

A large number of people including children suffering from heatstroke in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi during the last 24 hours.

According to health authorities, 112 heatstroke patients including 56 young children were brought to three allied hospitals in the Rawalpindi city, the Cantonment General Hospital, the Railway Hospital, Capital Development Authority Hospital, the Polyclinic and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, while more than 250 patients were brought to private hospitals and clinics in the twin cities.

Workers, wheelbarrow hawkers, building workers and market-goers were becoming more prone to heatstroke. The health authorities have issued advisories to the citizens asking them not to leave their homes unnecessarily in order to avoid heatstroke. Citizens have been asked to drink more water, use an umbrella, keep a water bottle when going out of home and keep a wet towel on the head when feeling the heat.

Benazir Bhutto General Hospital Superintendent Dr Sohail Chaudhry said that citizens should drink more water during the extreme heat, and avoid eating spicy food and rotten fruits besides keep their heads covered while leaving homes during the daytime. He said that citizens should stop children from playing in the sun and flying kites on the rooftops.

On the other hand, private hospitals and clinics have started looting patients suffering from heatstroke. Sources said that patients were being charged between Rs450 and Rs600 for a drip along with one injection and three small three-inch vials.

Heatstroke and intense heat have become a jackpot for these private clinics located in the twin cities.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi education department has decided to announce early summer vacations due to rising temperatures and heatwave in Punjab. Meanwhile, the provincial education ministry has also imposed an immediate ban on outdoor activities and sports in all public and private schools due to the extreme heatwave.

Emergency health counters have also been set up in all schools while canteens have been banned from selling spicy and other edible items in educational institutions.

In a circular issued by the ministry of education to district education officers of all the 36 districts of Punjab, strict measures and arrangements have been issued to protect children from extreme heat. It has been directed that an alternative power supply should be provided in all schools, UPS and generators should be made available and every classroom must have fans and cold drinking water and water coolers should be arranged.

It has directed that all students should have their breakfast before coming to school and bring cold water bottles with them. Moreover, the provision of water in washrooms, soap and towels has been made mandatory in all schools.

Students have also been banned from open-air classes and parades. The ministry of education has also announced in the circular that assistant commissioners will make emergency visits to schools, review these restrictions and take strict action against those responsible for negligence. The schools have been instructed to arrange shades for parents of the children when they come to pick them up during the school closure timing.