Waterborne diseases break out in 32 flood hit dists

Outbreak of waterborne diseases increased sufferings of thousands of people as flood waters are receding at different parts of the country.
Acute shortage of safe drinking water and the lack of sanitation facilities further complicated the situation for people in districts that were flooded since July.
The health services deployed 2,993 medical teams to address diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, eczema, itching and other waterborne diseases affecting countless people in 32 districts.
Respiratory infection and conjunctivitis also affected many people in the districts in the aftermaths of floods in at least 114 upazilas.
According to the Health Services’ emergency operation centre records in last two weeks at least 21,014 people were affected by various waterborne diseases.
The records also show that in 68 days since July 1, at least 38,453 people suffered from waterborne diseases during the floods.
In last two weeks, 9,726 people suffered from diarrhoea, 2,057 from respiratory infections, 1,635 from skin diseases and 789 from conjunctivitis, according to the Health Services’ reports.
Health Services’ director for disease control Sanya Tahmina told New Age that the government was providing free medicines to the patients in the flood affected areas.
She said that there was no shortage of medicines in the government’s stocks.
She called the allegation that many flood victims were not getting medicines as ‘incorrect.’
New Age correspondent in Rangpur reported quoting physicians that waterborne diseases outbreak could further aggravate throughout the Rangpur division.
Health Services director for the Rangpur division Mozzammel Hossain said that 709 medical teams were working to alleviate the sufferings of the ailing throughout the division.
He expressed fears that the health issue could further aggravate in the northern districts.
The ailing in Kolkond union in Gongachra upazilla in Rangpur district are not getting the needed medicines, alleged Kolkond union parishad chairman Sohorab Hossain Razu.
Kurigram civil surgeon Aminul Islam said that free medicines were being provided to the ailing in the districts by 85 medical teams.
Vhogdanga union parishad chairman Saidur Rahman called the medicine supplies for the ailing in his union as far too inadequate.
Vhogdanga union is under Kurigram sadar upazila.
Many NGOs are providing medicines, oral rehydration saline and water purification tablets for the needy in areas not getting the supplies from the government.
World Mission Prayer League Hospital project manager in Dinajpur Mahatab Liton said WMPLH teams were treating patients suffering from waterborne diseases in the districts of Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Dinajpur.
He said skin diseases broke out in the four districts affecting children. 
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net