Pakistan is in the grip of a blistering heatwave with parts of the country already scorched by extreme temperatures as officials warn of acute water shortage and health concerns. April turned out to be the hottest month in the last 61 years, with Jacobabad registering 51 degrees celsius (123.8 F) on 15 May, 2022. About 3.4 million people who are living below poverty line in Karachi and Umerkot are affected by the heat. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued drought alert on May 16, 2022 caused by less than normal rainfall and exacerbated by heatwave like conditions across the country as According to the United Nations’ ‘Global Land Outlook’ report, Pakistan is one of 23 nations that has experienced consistent drought in the last two years (2020-2022). Scientists have warned that the early arrival of a severe summer is linked to climate change, putting more than a billion people in the region at danger of heat-related consequences.
Community World Service Asia (CWSA) has accessed the Rapid Response Fund to support three heatwave facilitation centers in Sindh province that caters to at-risk communities. These facilitation centers will be equipped with stretchers, pedestal fans, that can accommodate 10 to 15 people at any given time. The centers will provide first aid treatment such as infusions, supplements, tablets for rehydration to the affected people.
