FAISALABAD:
More than 37 percent policemen from Faisalabad district have been diagnosed with hepatitis, mainly on account of using contaminated water and unhygienic food. This was found in an official survey in which all 8,000 policemen serving in the district were screened for various diseases.
The survey revealed that 2,960 policemen were suffering from life-threatening diseases like hepatitis. It also noted that 2,400 of the 8,000 policemen were between the ages of 50 and 60.
As many as 100 policemen had been disabled after receiving serious bullet injuries during exchange of firing with criminals. These policemen were now mostly performing desk duties, the survey noted.
A police official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that the policemen faced more health problems because most of them lived away from their homes and inside police stations.
“Due to use of contaminated water and unhygienic food, policemen are suffering from chronic and life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis, high blood pressure and heart problems,” the official said.
“This issue has been raised before the higher authorities of the police department, but no one is ready to pay attention to our problems,” the official said.
He revealed that only 2,640 policemen out of 8,000 were fully fit for all types of duty. “The number of fir policemen is not even sufficient to control street crime, let alone deal with any emergency situation,” he said.
The official said that although incidence of crime rate was a socio-economic problem, it had been aggravated by the shortage of policemen in the district.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2014.
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