Cold wave vulnerability needs coordinated approach
A mild cold wave is sweeping across the northern region of the country for the few days, disrupting normal life, as temperatures continue to drop nationwide.
The poor and vulnerable communities, especially in the districts of Rangpur division, have been hard hit by the cold wave accompanied by dense fog, exposing once again the seasonal vulnerability of the region’s poorest communities.
Residents of char areas along the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dudhkumar, Gaangadhar, and Dharla rivers are facing severe hardship, accompanied by a lack of warm clothes and limited income opportunities.
Reportedly, the intensity of the cold has remained steady, while minimum temperatures hovered between 10 and 11 degrees Celsius in the region while the daytime warmth offered only brief relief when the sun broke through for a few hours.
Reportedly, economic activity in the region, particularly in riverbank and char areas, have slowed down as many people stayed indoors.
Besides, the number of patients in hospitals suffering from cold-related diseases have also increased in hospitals.
The impact has been most severe in riverbank and char areas, where fragile housing and limited access to heating acutely expose people to winter conditions.
Meaanwhile, the district administrations and various voluntary organisations have started distribution of blankets, warm clothes, and relief materials among the cold-affected people.
Although health authorities say about adequate stocks of essential medicines, reports show that district and upazila hospitals, particularly those in char areas, often face a sudden increase in patients with respiratory and cold-related illnesses once temperatures fall. Effective preparedness, therefore, requires more than supply availability.
Thus, the persistence cold spell serves as a reminder of the importance of consistent preparedness in public healthcare facilities in cold-hit areas beyond the capital.
Though the ongoing distribution of blankets and warm clothes by government agencies and voluntary organisations remains a necessary part of the response, yet its impact is shaped by the speed, coverage and consistency of delivery.
In response, timely health responses, adequate staffing during peak periods and outreach mechanisms needed for hard-to-reach communities.
Given that winter cold is a predictable seasonal challenge in the country’s northern region, a more structured and anticipatory approach would reduce reliance on ad hoc measures.
Alongside institutional efforts, there is also space for socially and economically better-off sections of society to contribute, in an organised and accountable manner, to ease hardship during colder months.