KARACHI, Aug 8: In view of a special weather alert for Sindh and Balochistan, the Sindh health department has asked health executives and medical superintendents across the province to brace for possible emergencies.

Dr Shakeel A. Mullick, a deputy-secretary of the health department, said this at a weekly meeting of the Health Emergency Operation Cell (HEOC), Sindh, here on Wednesday.

The Met department on Tuesday had communicated that widespread rains/dust/thunderstorms, with at times heavy rain in Sindh, particularly in southern Sindh and the coastal areas, including Karachi, were expected on August 9 and 10.

The health department, therefore, has directed the EDOs (health) and medical superintendents of the government hospitals to take all precautionary and preventive measures in advance to minimise mortalities by alerting medical centres, ambulance services and mobile teams to remain prepared for any emergency.

Dr Mullick further told the meeting that officials in the districts had also been asked to inform the department about any deaths which might occur due to the anticipated storm.

The participants of the meeting feared that Thatta and Badin districts might experience heavy rains and floods.

The meeting also reviewed the prevailing situation and medical relief activities initiated by the health department, WHO, Unicef, UNFPA and others in Qambar and Dadu districts, which were affected by rainwater coming down from the north and north-western areas and breaching of the flood protection bund at various places.

Despite the passage of over a month many parts of Qambar and Dadu are still flooded, and as a consequence about 16 basic health units, rural health centres and dispensaries are facing inundation.

“The health facilities in question have been practically rendered non-functional,” said a speaker, adding that when the water subsides the affected facilities will need new buildings and the equipment will require major repairs.

“Fortunately, there has been no outbreak of epidemics, but cases of diarrhoea, skin diseases and acute respiratory infection are still being reported, which can be attributed to bad sanitation conditions and the non-availability of safe drinking water as the hand pumps are still submerged by floodwater in the affected areas,” said Dr Abdul Wahid Bhurt of WHO.

Efforts are also being made to address the issue of micronutrients in expectant mothers, said an official of the health department.

Mohsin Sheikh, a deputy-director in the Sindh health department, also attended the meeting.