NAWABSHAH: As Sindh has been in the grip of a heatwave for around a week, the harsh weather is taking a toll on people`s health with heatstroke and gastroenteritis on the rise in many districts and towns amid prolonged power outages.

While the Sindh health department downplayed the surge in cases, a large number of patients from different towns in Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, and Naushahro Feroze districts have been reported to hospitals in their respective areas.

April has been a hotter month in central and upper Sindh as average temperaturereached up to 45 degrees Celsius. However, mercury soared to 49°C on Thursday after a gap of about seven years in Shaheed Benazirabad, making it unbearable for residents, especially children and elderly persons.

On Saturday, Jacobabad was the hottest city across the country with 45°C followed by Dadu, Padidan, Mithi and Mohenjo Daro (43°C), Sukkur, Hyderabad and Nawabshah (42°C). The maximum temperature in Karachi and Thatta was 37°C and 36°C.

Amid rising temperatures, the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) resorted to upto 14 hours of loadshedding on a daily basis, affectingroutine life.

Business activities have also been badly affected and markets wore a deserted look due to the heatwave and power outages.

Students taking their matric exams, wageearners selling fruits, vegetables, and other essential items on pushcarts, as well as commuters, have been worst affected as they have no option but to go to their educational insti-tutions, workplaces or businesses.

Students from both government and private schools have also been suffering as schools have continued with the same bell timings, while matric examinations are underway this month.

Weather-related illnesses rising A doctor at the accident and emergency unit of the Peoples Medical University Hospital Nawabshah told Dawn that at least 100 cases of weather-related illnesses heatstroke with patients suffering from highgrade fever, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and vomiting were being reported on daily basis.

Prof Dr Nasrullah Amer, head of Medicine Unit-H, told Dawn that a large number of heatstroke cases alongside gastroenteritis and vomiting were being reported in OPDs and serious cases were shifted to the units.

He said that the weather conditions were serious and severe, and patients suffering from high-grade fever were at a high risk of renal failure and death.

He advised citizens living in Nawabshah and other adjoining districts to avoid going out of their homes as much as possible and, in case of necessity, to complete tasks in the morning hours, drink plenty of water, and, in case of any such symptoms, consult a doctor or visit a hospital promptly.

Dr Mohammed Shahid, a consultant paediatrician, said that he was receiving an average of 10-12 patients on daily basis at his clinic and half of them were in seriouscondition due to severe dehydration.

A large number of such cases where people got fainted were reported from different parts of Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze areas.

However, the Shaheed Benazirabad health authorities denied a single case of heatstroke during the current week.

Dr Asadullah Dahiri, the district health officerShaheed Benazirabad, told Dawn that there had not been a single case of heatstroke reported from any part of the district during the current heatwave.

He said that all rural health centres were alerted and special arrangement were madeto deal with such cases.

Matric exams amid prolonged outages The annual board examinations of classes IX and X are being held in various districts of Sindh including Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar and Naushahro Feroze in morning and evening shifts, with the evening shift starting at 2pm.

Students complained that the absence of electricity in many centres during exam hours made it almost impossible for them to attempt their papers with focus and peace of mind.

Additionally, the annual examinations of classes XI and XII are also expected to commence soon.

A sharp rise in the priceof ice was observed during the last week due to a sudden increase in demand.

Trade organisations in some of these districts have been issuing statements, urging Hesco and Sepco authorities to reconsider and minimise loadshedding.

However, the outages have instead been prolonged, with load management even taking place from 2:45am to 4:45am a time when citizens typically rest leaving many waiting for hours and sleep-ing late.

Kamran Qayoom Qureshi, a leader of Anjuman-i-Tajiran told Dawn that they had been meeting senior officials of Hesco for a review in loadshedding duration but in vain.

He said that the business activities had been severely affected and the community was facing serious trouble.

He added that traders were deeply concerned and would soon announce a strategy in this regard.