KUWAIT CITY, Aug 8: The Ministry of Health organized a public awareness campaign titled “Climate Change … Enhance Your Health” yesterday in the presence of the Director of the Health Promotion Department Dr. Abeer Al-Baho and Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah, as part of its efforts to raise awareness about the harmful effects of climate change.

In a press statement issued on the sidelines of the campaign, Dr. Al-Baho affirmed the importance of avoiding outdoor activities during the peak hours from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm to avoid the health problems caused by extremely high temperatures and heat stress. She stressed that there are some habits that everyone should adopt during times of extreme heat, such as drinking sufficient amounts of water, avoiding excessive physical activities outside, wearing loose light-colored clothing, staying under the shade, wearing hats and sunglasses, and regularly taking showers. During a lecture this morning at the Promenade Mall as part of the awareness campaign “Climate Change … Enhance Your Health” initiated by the National Committee to Combat the Effects of Climate Change and Environmental Disasters, Dr. Al-Baho explained that the event features medical consultations on climate change.

These consultations highlight methods to cope with extreme temperatures and heat stress, through diverse audio, visual, and written resources accessible by downloading them on smartphones using QR codes. The campaign aims to increase awareness about the risks associated with high temperatures, providing guidance on preventing them, and the steps to take in response to conditions like heat stroke, heat stress, and other potential health complications. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures, rainfall patterns, and other climate factors, exacerbated by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

These activities are predominantly responsible for the rapid changes observed in recent decades. There are some important preventive measures that the public must follow such as avoiding exposure to extreme heat by refraining from outdoor activities and strenuous exertion during peak heat hours of the day, and ensuring to seek shelter in shaded areas. The perceived temperatures under the sun’s rays can increase by 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is crucial to spend two to three hours in a cool place during the day to avoid heatrelated risks. Dr. Al-Baho revealed that there are certain symptoms that require a person affected by extreme heat to be transferred to the hospital immediately, such as confusion, lack of clear response, seizure, loss of consciousness, failing to wake up, severe rise in body temperature exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for more than two hours, fainting, not urinating for more than eight hours or dark urine, rapid heartbeat, and heavy breathing.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecasted a very hot weekend across the country, with active winds Thursday and Friday likely to cause dust in some areas. Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi, Director of the Meteorological Department, informed KUNA that Kuwait is currently under the influence of an extension of the Indian seasonal depression, bringing very hot and relatively humid conditions, especially along coastal areas. The winds are expected to be northwesterly to southeasterly, light to moderate in speed, but at times becoming active on Thursday and Friday, potentially stirring up dust.

Daytime conditions are predicted to be extremely hot, with northwesterly winds varying from 15 to 45 kilometers per hour, leading to dusty conditions in certain regions. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 47 and 49 degrees Celsius, with the sea conditions being light to moderate, with wave heights occasionally reaching between 2 and 6 feet. Nighttime weather will remain warm to very warm, with northwesterly winds ranging from 12 to 38 kilometers per hour. Minimum temperatures are forecasted to be between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius, and the sea will maintain light to moderate wave activity, between 2 and 5 feet.

By Marwa Al-Bahrawi
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies