Harried by the heavy monsoon rains, the flood victims of Balochistan are now confronting another challenge – a variety of mosquito and waterborne diseases are rapidly spreading, affecting thousands of people. According to the official estimates, more than 4000 have contracted Balochistan in the past five months and at least 2434 have been diagnosed with malaria in the past 24 hours alone.
The diseases are killing more people in Balochistan than the raging floods. Most of the dengue cases were reported in Lasbela Kech, Gwadar and Panjgur districts. During the last couple of days, 250 new cases of dengue have been reported in different areas of Balochistan, health officials have said.
Dengue cases are rapidly surging in Balochistan which has compounded the problems of the flood-stricken people, already reeling under homelessness, shortage of food and multiple other diseases, such as malaria, dysentery, cholera and skin infections.
Most of the areas of Balochistan were flooded and the stagnant floodwaters provided a hotbed for the mosquitos to breed, which resulted in malaria and dengue epidemics.
The provincial health ministry has also directed the authorities to conduct fog sprays in the affected areas to stop the spread of dengue and malaria.
The health officials have further reported at least 2434 cases of malaria in six districts of Balochistan in the past 24 hours, reflecting the sudden spurt in the spread of waterborne diseases. If corrective measures are not taken, the outbreak risks escalating into a deadly epidemic in the flood-ravaged areas that are already struggling to cope with dengue.
Thousands of cases of malaria have surfaced in Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, Jhal Magsi, Sibi and Kachi.
The Balochistan government has reportedly established 1621 medical camps in the affected districts to deal with the rising cases of waterborne diseases. These camps have treated 6,877 patients over the last 24 hours. Among the 6,877 patients, 543 were cholera cases, 1,205 asthma cases, 723 skin infections, 470 gastro, 2,434 malaria, 174 eye infections, 178 typhoid, and 1,150 patients were of other diseases.
The floods destroyed over 700 regional health centres and basic health units in Balochistan that could not be used.
The heavy monsoon rains and the raging floods affected all 35 districts of Balochistan, killing over 300 and leaving thousands stranded. The floods have also ushered in a variety of waterborne diseases, such as typhoid, dysentery, malaria, dengue, throat and skin infections etc. Sources claim that the government’s negligence has only compounded the problem.