LAHORE:
Over 80 people in Punjab’s flood-affected regions were bitten by snakes but were saved through timely medical response, Provincial Minister for Health and Population Khawaja Imran Nazir informed the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to opposition lawmakers’ criticism over the government’s handling of the flood crisis, Nazir said 83 individuals who suffered snakebites received treatment without fatalities.
He added that “clinics on wheels” equipped with antivenom and essential medicines were dispatched to flood-hit areas.
Nazir further stated that around 400,000 people had so far been provided medical care, while more than 2,000 were examined within just 48 hours.
He cited the example of a woman in Gujrat whose deteriorating condition was promptly managed by a mobile clinic team, leading to her gradual recovery.
The minister rejected claims of government inaction, insisting that preparations had begun 15 days before the floods struck.
“We are not sitting idle,” he said, noting that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had created a dedicated WhatsApp group to receive real-time updates from flood-hit areas.
Nazir assured the House that health and population department teams would continue visiting affected communities for weeks after the floodwaters recede.
Opposition lawmakers, however, expressed dissatisfaction.
Faisal Jamil criticised the non-availability of anti-venom medicines at district hospitals and questioned preparedness for potential post-flood diseases. He accused the government bureaucracy of misleading people, saying officials only appeared active during the chief minister’s visits.
“The people trapped in flood-hit areas need real help, not photo opportunities,” he remarked.
Concluding the general debate on the flood situation, Provincial Irrigation Minister Muhammad Kazim Pirzada said Pakistan was currently facing an unprecedented 1.5 million cusecs of water – the highest in the country’s history.
He warned that without addressing the structural and ecological issues of river systems, floods would continue to wreak havoc. “We must implement flood SOPs as strictly as religion,” he stressed.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan shifted attention to the plight of farmers, warning that they could face extreme hardship in the coming days. “Our farmers may be driven to begging if urgent measures are not taken,” he cautioned, while expressing hope that the government would soon devise a comprehensive relief strategy.
After completing the day’s agenda, the Speaker prorogued the Assembly session indefinitely.
