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944,747 fight diseases in IDP camps, 65 already lose battle
Karachi: Diseases have broken
out in the makeshift camps of flood survivors of Sindh province,
where as many as 944747 people are fighting various diseases and
65 others have already lost the battle, according to the
government figures, while the actual number of patients and
mortalities of flood survivors is much higher as millions of
affected people living on roads and canal banks have yet to find
a space in the overcrowded and poorly managed ‘relief camps’.
According to the official data,
from July 31 to September 01, 2010 the total number of reported
cases of diseases in the relief camps being run by the
provincial government is 944747.
Out of these cases 944747
pertain to diarrhea, 29075 to gastroenteritis, 179504 to ARI,
102284 to malaria, 16450 to skin diseases, 3486 to heatstroke,
66633 to eye infections, and 236577 to other diseases. Moreover
320 cases of snakebite were also reported and 342 deliveries
carried out
As per official figures at least
65 patients had died in the relief camps during the
aforementioned period. The government says it has set up 426
permanent and 149 mobile medical camps to provide healthcare
facilities to the flood survivors; however, the fact that about
one million people suffer from diseases in these relief camps
indicates that all is not well.
The sanitary conditions in the
crowded relief camps are just pathetic, with fewer bathrooms to
cater the needs of hundreds of thousands of people living in the
camps. The arrangements of disposal of human waste, drainage of
water, and ensuring general hygienic and sanitary conditions are
poor. Majority of people are even not provided soap to clean
hands after visiting toilet.
The drinking water provided to
the flood survivors is generally unclean and contaminated. The
hygienic requirements in preparing and serving food are being
totally neglected. Houseflies and other insects are seen
everywhere in the relief camps due to lack of proper cleanliness
and fumigation. All these factors are contributing to the
alarming rise in the number of diseases and death in the relief
camps.
Meanwhile, Sindh health minister
Dr Sagheer Ahmed has taken a serious note of deaths in the
relief camps of Naushehro Feroze, Khaiurpur and Kashmore due to
gastro and sought reports in this regard from the concerned
executive district officers (EDOs) health. He has also asked the
director general health Sindh to conduct a probe into the matter
and file report within three days. - PPI |