RANGPUR, Apr 21 (BSS): The recurrence of waterborne diseases decreased substantially in rural areas of the district following successful implementation of various effective programmes taken by the government.
The massive awareness building activities being conducted by the government during the past nine years have improved health, hygiene, sanitation and nutrition conditions of the rural people who are also drinking safe drinking water to achieve the success.
"As a result of growing public awareness about waterborne diseases, recurrence of diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, hookworm and ringworm among the rural people has reduced to almost zero level," said Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam.
At the same time, the infant, child and maternal mortality rates have also reduced to the minimum everywhere in rural areas of the district.
"The government and non-government health officials and workers, community clinics and union health sub-centres are playing the key roles along with the efforts of different other government organisations, WHO and UNICEF," Dr Islam said.
Former Community Medicine Specialist Dr Fazlul Haque at Rangpur Medical College said only two food poisoning related diarrhoea patients came to his chamber last year though their number was 20 to 30 times higher even a decade ago. "The common people in rural areas are now much aware of their health, hygiene, sanitation, personal hygiene, safe drinking water and they do not use the open places as toilets as it was in the pasts," he said.
Assistant professor of the Rangpur Medical College Dr Hamidul Islam said waterborne disease-related child and maternal mortalities would touch zero level in near future following important roles being played by community clinics at the grassroots levels.
"However, few incidents of waterborne diseases are being noticed following consumption of the rotten, old and unhygienic foodstuffs from a section of roadside hotels, restaurants and open tea stalls," Dr Hamidul Islam said.
Talking to the news agency, Chairman of Haridebpur union under Sadar upazila Iqbal Hossain said the number of waterborne disease-related child and maternal deaths substantially reduced in his union where the number was alarming even a decade ago.
"The union is now almost free from waterborne diseases and the success has been achieved following hectic government and NGO efforts in motivating the rural people for better life with the help of field level health workers and community leaders," he added.
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