Why are the provincial governments distributing expensive laptops instead of water purifiers.
KARACHI: I want to applaud The Express Tribune for sharing an important report on health indicators (March 22), which threw light on the severe situation faced in this regard, nationwide. The report highlighted the menaces of seemingly potable water which is actually infected and improper sanitation as the main causes of disease penetration. The staggering expansion of diseases demands bold, new initiatives. Today, a huge number of cheap water purifiers are available globally that are designed for Third World countries like ours, which lack electricity and gas resources.
Why are the provincial governments distributing expensive laptops instead of water purifiers, which may cost one-third of the price of laptops? With countless deaths occurring each year due to lack of availability of clean drinking water, I do not think distribution of laptops will help alleviate this situation. The healthcare and education budgets of our federal and provincial governments are lower than those of the poorest nations of the world. It is high time that we prioritised our budgets and gave preference to saving lives over distributing fancy devices.
Arsalan Akhtar
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2014.
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