KARACHI: Daunted by the last year’s deaths caused by the heatwave, the Sindh government on Tuesday announced that it had chalked out a contingency plan to ensure that no further loss of life occurred if a similar situation arose this summer.

Speaking at a press conference in the Sindh Assembly building, education minister Nisar Khuhro and health minister Jam Mehtab Dahar said the health ministry had been ordered to prepare a detailed report about the establishment of heatstroke emergency centres in the city and elsewhere in Sindh.

“The report will be discussed at the next session of the provincial assembly,” said a statement read out by the two ministers.

The city’s worst heatwave was recorded in June last year, which persisted for around two weeks and caused death of over 1,200 people. About 200 people died during the period in other parts of Sindh.

They said the provincial government was also mulling over contacting Islamabad to ensure that power cuts would be minimal during the long summer ahead, which was a prerequisite to reducing the dangers associated with heatstroke.

The two ministers, reporters were told, had attended a meeting with senior officials of the provincial government and the city administration at which they agreed to set up heatstroke centres across the province at taluka and district levels. Medical superintendent of hospitals in the province will head the centres.

The ministers said it would be ensured that required staff was posted at the centres before summer.

Minister Khuhro said the provincial government had started its preparations two months before the possible arrival of hot and suffocating days. He said students in schools and colleges would be told about precautionary measures against heatwave, and emergency would be declared in all hospitals.

Mr Khuhro said heatstroke centres could be set up in schools if the situation demanded so.

Minister Dahar said some 100 heatstroke centres would be established in different parts of the city.

He said Hesco would also be approached to ask it to reduce loadshedding during summer.

“We are hugely vigilant about the possible arrival of heatwave in Karachi, or other parts of Sindh, and will take all measures to ensure that every human life is safe,” said Mr Dahar.

The ministers said the provincial health ministry was also ensuring that doctors and paramedics were available in all hospitals in the province, particularly during hot days.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2016