RANGPUR, Sept 27: With the flood water started receding water-borne diseases including diarrhoea, pneumonia, skin infection, fever, dysentery and itches are breaking out alarmingly in different flood-affected areas in Rangpur division including Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts.
Thousands of flood affected people living on the road, flood control embankment and government shelters at different areas under the districts have become vulnerable to the water-borne diseases. Day by day the number of affected people is increasing in the areas, sources said.
A large number of people in the flood-affected areas are coming to hospitals everyday with diarrhoea and other stomach complains. Eating of rotten food and drinking polluted water are the main reasons for the disease outbreaks, hospital sources said.
Mosaddek Ali (50) of Soudpara village at Kolkonda union under Gangachara upazila in Rangpur district told FE that his five year old son has been suffering from diarrhoea for the last few days. Many people of his area and adjacent areas have been suffering from various water related diseases including diarrhoea, skin disease and dysentery owing to scarcity of pure drinking water, he alleged.
A number of affected people of different areas of the flood hit districts alleged that they have been suffering from acute dearth of pure drinking water for long and as a result many of them have been affected with different types of waterborne diseases specially diarrhoea, dysentery and skin infection. Some flood victims who have taken shelter in flood control dam said sometimes, they are compelled to consume contaminated water to cook or drink as they have no alternative.
Shafiqul Islam of Char Dhushmara at Kawnia Upazila in Rangpur district said his six-year old girl has been suffering from diarrhoea for last couple of days and treated with oral saline. His wife has got skin infections in her hands and legs.
Many people of the flood hit areas said as most of the tubewells in their locality have been submerged by flood water, the health department should distribute adequate water purifying tablets among the affected people.
According to skin specialists many people of flood affected areas of the region have been suffering from skin related diseases due to water stagnancy in the areas.
A number of medical teams are working in the affected areas of the region. Teams of veterinarians are also working for control of cattle diseases. They are also creating awareness to prevent flood related waterborne diseases, said Dr. Md. Mozammel Hossain district civil surgeon Rangpur.
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