It is being said that Karachi will face the worst heat this year in its entire history. This hazardous change in the climate will affect the lives of the common people living in this city and have a great health impact in the urban areas.
Since the last two years, Karachi has been going through heatwaves which get severer as the year passes. In 2016, the heatstroke took lives of many citizens.
The most important thing the government needs to take care of before this year’s heat wave is of the long-hours electricity outage which leaves the fans and air conditioners inoperable. The frequent power outage also affects the water supply and not every citizen can afford to rely on water tankers. Ambulances should be kept on hold and hospitals should have space with efficient staff in the emergency rooms.
As humans, we need to collaborate with the welfare organisations and put up camps in different areas of the city to provide the citizens on the streets with bottled water, a place to sit and emergency units to take the unconscious to the hospitals as soon as we can and help them survive.
NAVEEN ZEHRA,
Karachi, April 11.