Gastroenteritis outbreak: This summer, beware of your stomach

Ailments associated with increased consumption of liquids from outside.

ISLAMABAD:

With the onslaught of summers, gastroenteritis patients have increased significantly in number. According to data collected from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Polyclinic Hospital and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital, around 200 to 250 patients suffering from stomach related illnesses are visiting the outpatient and emergency departments of these hospitals everyday.

Health experts said the usage of contaminated water, unhygienic food and unsanitary conditions are the main reasons behind this outbreak. They expressed concern over lack of a public awareness campaign about the disease.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Waseem Khawaja, gastroenteritis specialist at Pims and Dr Mehdi Hassan, medical officer at Polyclinic Hospital in emergency ward said with the rise in the temperature, the numbers of such patients are increasing.

Dr Khawaja said majority of such patients, who belong to all age brackets, have consumed contaminated drinks from outside. He said in comparison to last year, the ratio of such patient has witnessed a sudden increase which can be attributed to variations in weather patterns.

Dr Hassan added that though anyone can become a victim of gastroenteritis, people living in rural areas are more prone to it due to poor hygiene and sanitation facilities.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Mohammad Rafiq a gastroenteritis patient at Polyclinic and a daily wage earner questioned how a poor man working in the scorching heat everyday can afford to have a mineral water bottle with him.

“It is the responsibility of the contractor to provide labourers with clean water but why would they care, they are only interested in their work to be completed at the lowest cost,” he said.

Rafiq said he and his other colleagues consume water from any available source.

He said last year, two of his friends died due to gastroenteritis.

He criticised the government for providing all privileges to the rich only, leaving the poor man to fend for himself.

Razia Bibi, mother of an eight-year-old girl, who was under treatment for gastroenteritis at Pims, was completely unaware of the term ‘filtration plant’. “We use tap water for drinking,” said the resident of Phulgran. She further said her baby was suffering from diarrhea and had been injected with drips. An official in Islamabad administration said provision of safe drinking water in rural areas is a serious concern as a majority of the population in those parts suffers from various diseases.

He said there was a project in which 14 filtration plants were going to be installed in 12 union councils of the capital. But due to paucity of funds, some technical reasons and lethargic attitude of the government, the project is pending.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Farzana Shafqat, consultant gastroenteritis at Shifa International Hospital urged people to consume properly cooked food, cool it before preserving it in refrigerators and cover it well. “Use boiled water and wash hands properly before eating a meal and after using the washroom,” she added.

“If the condition worsens in this disease and treatment is not given on time, death can occur as well,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2011.