Health officials in Pakistan have reported an outbreak of waterborne diseases in areas ravaged by the recent floods. The announcement comes as authorities aim to ramp up efforts in ensuring that victims who have lost their homes in the disaster have access to clean drinking water. The South Asian country blames climate change for the abnormal monsoon rains, which have ravaged the country since June. Reports indicate that nearly 1,200 people have been killed, with 33 million people affected.

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Health risks after Pakistan Floods

In Sindh, the country’s worst-hit country, nearly half a million people are living in relief camps and being treated by medical units. Tragically, these relief camps have become a breeding ground for diseases such as diarrhoea, eye infections and skin diseases to spread like wildfire. Over 90,000 cases of diarrhoea cases have been reported in Sindh, alone, in the past 24 hours. This is according to a report by Pakistani health officials earlier in the week.

As reported by Al Jazeera, doctors say that they had initially treated victims with trauma from the flooding, but now they are treating thousands of people with diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases. Worryingly, many pregnant women are also exposed to these risks. Allegedly, 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected regions, are expected to deliver in the next month and need urgent medical health care. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that is keeping an eagle eye on the country for any signs of acute diarrhoea, other types of communicable diseases and cholera.

According to the social justice group, Mahwari Justice, half of the victims of the flooding are women and girls. This organisation is currently raising funds and awareness for an often taboo topic in conservative nations- menstruation and feminine hygiene products. Many women in Pakistan do not have access to sanitary pads, and instead, opt to use leaves to manage their periods. Mahwari Justice is running a campaign to raise funds to offer women hygiene kits that contain soap, pads and underwear. Each kit costs $0.90 or 200 rupees. While the amount is minuscule, the impact is enormous. The organisation reports that its calls to manufacturers of period products have gone unanswered, thus leaving them to haggle with wholesalers to get the lowest possible price for their kits.

zahraa@smile904.fm