Hospitals in Islamabad Prepare Heatwave Response Centres

All medical health facilities under the District Health Office Islamabad have been instructed to establish emergency ‘heatwave response centers’ that will operate seven days a week. Here are common heatstroke symptoms and their solution discussed.In a letter, the District Health Office directed these centers to appoint focal persons, ensure the availability of relevant staff, and provide training on the emergency management of heatstroke patients by in-charge medical officers.

Heatstroke Symptoms: Image via OLX Blog
The facilities must ensure the availability of essential supplies, including ORS, fluids, ice packs, emergency life-saving medicines, and cotton rolls/gauze pads for sponging.
Patients must receive immediate treatment, including moving them to a cooler environment with air conditioning or at least into the shade. Essential supplies should be maintained, and staff should be trained on managing heatstroke patients, the letter emphasized.
If a person shows heatstroke symptoms, they should be placed in a horizontal position with elevated legs and hips, unnecessary clothing should be removed, and external cooling should be initiated by placing cold packs on the neck, armpits, and groin.

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Continuous fanning and spraying the skin with water at 25–30°C are also recommended. Body temperature should be measured, and acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol should not be administered. The letter stated: “Establish an IV line immediately as severe cases often require intravenous rehydration.

Promote sweat evaporation by placing the patient before a fan and using ice packs under the armpits and groin. If the patient can drink, they should be given plenty of water in a sitting position. Monitor the body temperature with a thermometer and continue cooling efforts until it drops from 101°F to 102°F. Antipyretics may be administered once the temperature is below 101°F. Monitor vitals.”


Heatstroke Symptoms: Image via OLX Blog

The letter noted that May, June, and July are extremely hot in Pakistan and often accompanied by heat waves due to global warming and climate change, increasing the risk of heatstroke mortality and morbidity. Immediate necessary measures are crucial.


Heatstroke symptoms are the foremost genuine heat-related ailment, happening when the body cannot control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises quickly, the sweating instrument falls flat, and it cannot cool down. Heatstroke can cause passing or changeless inability without crisis treatment.


Common symptoms of heatstroke is incorporate abundant sweating or need of sweating with hot, ruddy, or dry skin, shortcomings, laziness, chills, throbbing cerebral pain, tall body temperature, visualizations, disarray, tipsiness, and slurred discourse. Newborn children, elderly people, competitors, and open-air laborers are at high hazard.

The letter emphasized that heatstroke is preventable. Preventive measures incorporate maintaining a strategic distance from open-air exercises amid the most smoking portion of the day, performing strenuous exercises amid the coolest portion of the day (more often than not between 4 am and 7 am), remaining within the shade, and not taking off children or creatures in stopped vehicles.


Heatstroke Symptoms: Image via OLX Blog
Also, individuals ought to drink a bounty of water, constrain time in coordinated daylight, dodge drying out, and abstain from overwhelming physical activities in hot and muggy climates. Those working within the sun ought to take breaks within the shade and drink a bounty of liquids. Caffeine and sugary drinks ought to be maintained a strategic distance from them as they may compound a lack of hydration.


Expand salty nourishments, utilize umbrellas, and wear caps, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing. Keep the body cool and hydrated by taking cool showers or showers, utilizing cold packs, wraps, towels, wiping, and footbaths.


“If you’re feeling woozy, frail, on edge, or have serious thirst and migraine amid a heatwave, move to a cool put as before long as conceivable and degree your body temperature. Drink water or natural product juice to rehydrate. Rest in a cool put in case you encounter excruciating muscle fits, and drink a verbal rehydration arrangement (ORS) containing electrolytes.

Look for therapeutic consideration in the event that warm spasms final more than an hour. Counsel a specialist on the off chance that bizarre indications continue and proceed drinking fluids,” the letter included.