LAHORE - Lack of rains and abundance of sunshine caused considerable increase in the mercury level with high humidity making the weather muggy, causing people in plains to sweat profusely throughout the day on Monday. As a new rain giving system is approaching the country, experts are seeing relief for people during the next couple of days.
Weather remained hot and humid in most parts of the country. However, rain-thundershower occurred at isolated places of Rawalpindi, Sibbi, Makran, Karachi, Hyderabad divisions and Kashmir.
Nokkundi remained hottest place in the country where mercury rose as high as 48 degree Celsius. Maximum and minimum temperature in was recorded 38 C and 27 C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 56 percent. According to the experts, a well marked seasonal low lies over Northwest Balochistan and adjoining areas. Monsoon currents are penetrating into upper parts of the country.
Local meteorological department has forecast rain-thundershower at scattered places of Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha divisions), Hazara, Peshawar divisions and Kashmir and at isolated places of Mirpurkhas, Multan, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Kalat, Zhob, Quetta, D I Khan, Malakand divisions and Gilgit-Baltistan during the next couple of days. Heavy falls are also expected at isolated places of upper Punjab.
WEATHER ILLS
Hot and humid weather continued to play havoc with public health especially children. More and more gastroenterology patients continued to pour in public sector and private hospitals for treatment with shortage of beds and medicine adding to the woes of suffering humanity. All tertiary care hospitals in Lahore have been swarmed with gastro patients, majority of them kids. Influx of thousands of gastro patients has added additional burden on already overloaded health facilities treating measles patients in addition to routine cases.
Govt spending Rs102b against diseases
Provincial Health Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu has said that government was spending Rs 102 billion on prevention and treatment of diseases.
Talking to media at an awareness walk arranged by Punjab Health Department in connection with World Hepatitis Day on Monday, he said that there was a need to promote awareness for controlling diseases. WHD was observed all over the country on last Sunday (July 28) but the health institutions arranged ceremonial events one day before or after the designated date. Director General Health Dr Tanveer Ahmed, officers of Health Department, employees and a large number of health workers participated in the walk that started from DG Health Office, Cooper Road and culminated at Faisal Chowk.
The minister said that principle of prevention is better than cure should be adopted for controlling the menace of hepatitis. He said that government and the masses should make collective efforts for removing the causes of the diseases which were fast spreading.