QUETTA: Over 60,000 flood survivors in five districts of eastern Balochistan were suffering from epidemics, particularly gastroenteritis and malaria.
Well-reputed sources in the Health Department told APP that the government had been apprised that over 60,000 flood-stricken people out of total 1.1 million in five districts of eastern Balochistan, including Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Sibi and Bolan, had been suffering from epidemics after consumption of contaminated floodwaters. They said that at 30 medical camps set up in flood-hit areas, 30,000 patients of diarrhoea, 8,539 of malaria, 8,761 of skin diseases, 3,764 of asthma and 2,979 of eye diseases had been examined. They added that over 12,853 flood victim children suffering from diarrhoea and gastroenteritis had been vaccinated in the five districts so far.
Separately, UN agencies working in the flood-affected areas warned that due to growth of millions of mosquitoes in the standing floodwaters, malaria might breakout at a large scale in Balochistan besides affecting its neighbouring provinces.
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