Heatstroke Cases Increase Over Punjab as Strong Heat Wave Affects the Area
Hundreds of people have been hospitalized due to heatstroke in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Narowal, and other towns and areas in South Punjab over the past three days. Most of Punjab is experiencing very high temperatures. As medical facilities try to handle the rising influx of patients, the strong heatwave still sweeping over the province has pushed them to the verge.
Hospitals Oversaw Rising Heatstroke Incidents
Heatstroke-related admissions are sharply rising in public and commercial healthcare institutions across big cities. Operating at full capacity, emergency wards and outpatient departments are confirmed by hospital officials to be directly connected to the protracted and high summer heat.
The high temperatures have caused an alarming increase in patients experiencing symptoms including dizziness, high fever, confusion, and fainting—traditional markers of heatstroke, doctors and healthcare managers observe. Among the afflicted people are everyday commuters, workers, kids, and older adults who remain especially sensitive to heat waves.
Health Officials Urge Caution and Preventive Measures
Medical professionals advise the public to stay indoors during maximum daytime hours, particularly from midday to 4 PM, and to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and electrolyte-rich beverages. The former medical superintendent of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. Maqsood Ahmad Sheikh, advised avoiding needless sun exposure and keeping cool during this season. Children and older people especially need to be taken care of.
He also cautioned that boosting its temperature may create long-term damage if not addressed quickly, and heatstroke can seriously impair brain function.
Government and Hospitals Move in Response
Under the direction of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the Punjab Health Department has sent operational instructions and alarms to every hospital to prepare for the approaching bad weather. Medical staff have been educated, especially in handling heatstroke events effectively. A constant supply of required drugs and equipment has been sent to hospitals all around in anticipation of more cases.
Under a major project, the Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan has been assigned the title Provincial Stroke Management Centre. Syed Hamad Raza, a Punjab Health Department spokesman, verified that the institution now has the necessary injections and medical supplies. Prof. Qasim Bashir of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences has also supervised the centre’s preparedness to guarantee the best readiness.
“Every teaching hospital has finished the required staff training and is ready to manage heatstroke crises,” Raza stated. “We are making sure every hospital in the province has enough meds and that the healthcare teams have support in their work.”
Climate Crisis Deepens the Health Emergency
Among the top five countries most impacted by climate change, Pakistan is one; the current situation serves as a sobering reminder of the continuous environmental catastrophe. According to meteorological records, the present heatwave is among the worst phases we have gone through in recent times. The Met Office projects that while southern areas may see 4°C to 6°C above average, central and upper Punjab’s temperatures could stay 5°C to 7°C above average.
This catastrophic weather event fits a disturbing trend of rising climatic anomalies in South Asia, whereby heat waves are lengthening, hotter, and more frequent. Dense people, few natural areas, and the urban heat island effect, which raises city temperatures, cause urban centres to suffer especially.
Long-Term Climate Resilience: A Call
Experts underline, especially in public health infrastructure, the need for long-term plans to create climate resilience in the heat waves. Such weather occurrences can be lessened with urban planning, more vegetation, shaded pedestrian areas, improved public transportation, and heat safety awareness campaigns.
Immediate-term residents are urged to:
- Keep hydrated with drinks and oral rehydration solutions.
- wear light-coloured, breathable clothing.
- Keep indoors during peak sunny hours.
- Use hats, umbrellas, or shaded areas when outside.
- Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated areas.
Hospitals continue to operate in emergency mode, responding to an ever-growing number of patients. Forecasts indicate that the high heat will stay for several more days; hence, the situation is still in flux.
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