DADU: People here experienced the hottest day of the season on Tuesday as mercury rose to 51 degrees Celsius, affecting 15 women and men, and 20 children who were admitted to the Civil Hospital of Dadu.

It was due to the sweltering heat that major parts of the bazaars, roads and streets presented a deserted look in Dadu city after lunchtime from 12 noon to 5pm.

Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Hameed Meerani said that a heatstroke centre was established at the civil hospital where drips and other medicines were made available for attending the people affected by the heatstroke.

Children ward in-charge specialist Dr Allah Bux Korejo said that owing to the extremely hot weather, the number of children suffering from gastroenteritis had increased.

He said that on Tuesday, 20 children were brought to the hospital and the number would increase day by day. He advised parents not to allow children to go out from homes in the scorching heat. Children should use fresh food, cold water and ORS in daytime, he added.

Dadu district health officer (DHO) Dr Zahid Hussain Dawachh said that from noon till evening people should remain indoors and use ORS and water. To facilitate treatment, heatstroke centres were established at the civil hospital of Dadu and taluka hospitals at KN Shah, Mehar and Johi.

Vehicular traffic also remained thin at Dadu-Johi, Dadu-Moro, Dadu-KN Shah and Dadu-Sehwan roads due to increasing sweltering heat in the district. People rushed to Dadu canal near the city for swimming to beat the heat.

Citizens demanded from the Dadu district and taluka administrations to establish water tanks/sabeels at different places in the city for supplying cold drinking water to protect people running their daily errands.

Social activist Dr Aftab Ahmed Bhand also distributed water coolers, ORS and juice packets among poor communities in the city.

Dr Bhand advised the rich and notables of the area to look after poorest families and support by supplying ORS, water coolers and other necessary items to them.

However, it was reported that because of heatstroke, major parts of Sehwan, Bhan Syedabad city also gave a deserted look after lunchtime till 5pm.

Jamshoro Deputy Commi­ssioner (DC) Fareeduddin Mustafa has directed the administrations of hospitals in Sehwan, Sann, Manjhand, Jamshoro, Kotri and Nooriabad and Thana Bula Khan to establish heatstroke centres to facilitate treatment of people.

Dadu DC Shahzaman Khuhro also has directed the municipal administrations of Dadu, Johi, KN Shah and Mehar to supply cold water to citizens through establishing sabeels.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020