Diseases take over a dozen flood victims’ lives

The outbreak of deadly diseases continued to take a heavy toll on the flood-displaced people of Sindh as 17 more lost their lives in different areas of the province on Tuesday.

Most deaths occurred due to gastro, dirrahea and two from drowning and one from snakebite. The officials on Tuesday confirmed the deaths of 13 more during past 24 hours while they claimed that around 3.5 million after being affected with diseases and viral infections were treated or were under treatment in hospitals, health units and at so-called relief camps. The outbreak of the water-borne diseases in Dadu, Badin, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Jaccobad, Larkana, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and other districts claimed the lives of the flood survivors, who had been forced to live along the roadsides everywhere in whole interior parts of Sindh. After almost eight to six months since floods had hit and ravaged 23 districts forcing the people to vacate their flooded towns and villages, the high-ups of Sindh government including its chief executive Syed Murad Ali Shah admitted the bitter fact on Monday that they could only provide tents and relief goods to only 25 percent affectees.

The disclosure of Shah was first surfaced on Monday during the meeting in CM House and his briefing to Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif during his visit to Dadu on Tuesday, Mr Shah informed that they at least needed 1.5 million tents and other relief goods for over 75 percent affectees but they could not do all on their own.

Hanif Samoon is a senior journalist based at Thar/Badin and contributes reports from different districts of Sindh to Minute Mirror. He has won a number of awards, including the Agahi Award twice for his stories on health and child rights. He tweets @HanifSamoon1 and can be reached through email at [email protected]

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