Karachi : Center of Excellence for Trauma and Emergencies (CETE) at Aga Khan University (AKU) in collaboration with Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) convened a stakeholder meeting under its ‘Heat Emergency Awareness and Treatment’ project. The Elrha-funded project aims to address the escalating threat of extreme heat in Pakistan through public awareness, exposure treatment strategies and the development of a comprehensive heat plan to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The meeting brought together senior officials including Assistant Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners and District Health Officers from various districts across Sindh. Among the notable participants was Dr. Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorologist, Pakistan Meteorological Department; Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, Chief Operating Officer, PDMA; and representatives of Rescue 1122 and Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services. The presence of these key players highlights the urgency and importance of a unified approach to address heat waves in the region.
“Extreme heat is a rapidly growing public health crisis, especially for cities in Pakistan,” said Dr Junaid Razzak, director of CETE. “Given its impact, cities must have clear action plans with well-defined triggers. We look forward to partnering with PDMA and other partners to provide the necessary technical support to develop such plans.”
Consensus was reached on the need for a more effective and institutionalized District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), strengthened coordination of heat wave management across districts, and greater focus on launching an effective communication campaign between ministries and non-profit organizations. All stakeholders agreed to regular meetings to address the issue and participated in the development of a heat wave management plan for the adversely affected areas.
Dr. Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorologist, Pakistan Meteorological Department, said: “We need to understand the phenomenon of heatwaves and how they are generated. It is not just the daily temperature that triggers a heatwave warning; heatwaves are complex events influenced by various factors. Complex understanding and monitoring of these elements is essential for effective heat wave management and early warning.”
Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, Chief Operating Officer of PDMA, added: “AKU has taken a big step in bringing together different stakeholders under one roof on a very important topic and it should be a continuous process.”
As part of the grant, CETE developed an animated informational video on heat emergencies and their management, which is distributed through social media channels to educate the public.
