Combatting heatstroke

This is not each person’s individual fight; it is a national crisis

The merciless heatwave is showing no signs of abating and will likely persist till the end of May. What is different this time from previous heatwaves is the fact that temperatures — not just in Pakistan but also in India — have set new unprecedented records, with some regions witnessing as high as 50°C. The British Meteorological Agency has released a report which states that high temperatures, which are supposed to occur once every 312 years, will now be witnessed every 3 years in South Asia.

Even though an emergency has been declared in Pakistan and a list of precautionary measures and advisories has been issued to the masses, little has been done to curb the risks posed to human health. It is rather alarming that almost 350 heatstroke patients, including 56 children, have recently been hospitalised in a span of just 24 hours in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The incident has however given a chance to private hospitals and clinics to exploit patients by charging them high prices for drips and injections. The government needs to put a stop to this. In light of the situation, schools have started to ban outdoor activity, with some announcing early summer vacations. Not just students, citizens in general have been told to use umbrellas and to avoid going outside altogether. This points towards a greater tragedy that could befall not just these cities but entire regions across Pakistan that are vulnerable to heatwaves. With food insecurity, water scarcity and a dilapidated healthcare system, these heatwaves will hit vulnerable citizens with far greater force than ever imagined.

We must be prepared to sustain the hit. Private and government healthcare institutions must work as a single force during the summer months to provide relief for affected citizens, especially the poor who are not able to protect themselves. Health centres should be set up in densely populated low-income communities and heatwave provisions must be provided to the abject poor. This is not each person’s individual fight. It is a national crisis.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2022.

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