KARACHI, Pakistan: The death toll from the devastating heatwave has risen to 500 in Karachi as the metropolitan city continues to be in its grip for the last four days.
Talking to media, the Joint Executive Director of Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Seemin Jamali said that most of the victims were men aged 50 or more.
While according to Karachi Medical Corporation (KMC) spokesperson Salma Kausar, the deaths have mainly occurred due to heat and gastro-related problems.
Last night, the Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar visited the JPMC where he said that about 1600 patients suffering from intense heat have been treated in the Jinnah Hospital during the last three days.
The health minister said that emergency has been declared in all the government hospitals to treat patients with heat stroke on emergency basis and presence of doctors, paramedical staff and necessary medicines is being ensured.
Separately, the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan chaired a high level meeting in Karachi to review the situation arisen in the city by intense heat and during the meeting, he directed the K-Electric administration and the water board to ensure power and water supply in the metropolitan city and arrange water supply through tankers so that the people could get some relief in the intense heat.
The governor asked the health department to take emergency measures to provide immediate care to patients of heat stroke and gastro.
Ishratul Ebad appreciated Pakistan Rangers Sindh for setting up “Heat Stroke Relief Centers” in various areas of the city to provide immediate care to the citizens.
Earlier, the Pakistan Rangers Sindh established 10 “Heat Stroke Relief Centers” at different locations in Karachi to provide relief to the citizens who are affected due to extreme heat wave.
The doctors, paramedical staff and complete medical facilities are available at each center to cure heat stroke patients.
