Cholera, typhoid, water-borne diseases and other epidemics are spreading in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan owing to the heavy rains and two powerful cyclones.
This was stated by Pakistan Medical Society (PMS) Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh while addressing a joint meting of the PMS and Shade in connection with the rehabilitation of the cyclone-affected people here on Monday.
Dr Masood maintained the salty seawater; coming out because of the cyclones has mixed with the underground clean water in the affected areas, rendering it unsuitable for drinking. Resultantly, there has occurred an acute shortage of clean drinking water in the affected areas and the situation has further aggravated by the mixing of sewerage water with drinking water, he claimed. This state of affairs has enhanced the hazards of gastro-enteritis (generally called gastro) while the remnants of dead animals are also further intensifying the situation, he added.
He alsor claimed that there is likelihood of dengue fever in the affected areas as the after-effects of the heavy rains. "We can avoid most of the diseases by providing clean drinking water to the affected people", he opined.
Dr Masood warned that if the "International Treaty for Environmental Pollution" inked in Kyoto (Japan) was not enforced in letter and spirit and emission of greenhouse gasses was not controlled, the global warming and the rise in the sea water level would result in even more powerful cyclones in future.
Sri Lanka and Indonesia have realised that cutting of the dense coastal forests "mangrove" was one of the reasons for the massive destruction by tsunami, the PMS chairman pointed out.
He observed that re-plantation of "mangrove" along the coastal borders of Pakistan can avert recurrence of such a massive destruction. Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh said PMS, Shade, and PML-Q Youth Wing would soon send a doctors' team along with relief goods to the cyclone-hit areas for the rehabilitation of the people.
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