Man dies of gastro, several hospitalised

Victim died hours after his admission despite all efforts to save him

RAHIM YAR KHAN: A man died of gastro while several others remain hospitalised due to dysentery and vomiting in Rahim Yar Khan on Friday. The gastro epidemic is spreading as 12 patients have been admitted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital.

Those currently being treated also include infants.



Officials told Express News that 50-year old Bhagwan Das was admitted to the health facility after being infected by gastro in Sadiqabad. However, the victim succumbed to the infection just hours after his admission.

Other gastro patients admitted for treatment included two-month-old Muhammad Arham, three-year-old Bilawal, three-year-old Shabana Bibi, six-year-old Noman Ali, seven-year-old Khadija Bibi, 14-year-old Usman Ali, 15-year-old Zubair Ahmed, 20-year-old Muhammad Ansar, 37-year-old Samina Bibi and 80-year-old Bashiran Bibi.

Last year’s official record of the health department revealed that at least 193,117 acute diarrhoea patients (viral gastroenteritis) were admitted to government-run hospitals in Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Kasur, Khanewal, Layyah, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupra, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Bhakkar, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Lodran Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib and other cities.



The highest number of patients suffering from the disease was reported in Lahore, followed by DG Khan, Sheikhupura, Multan, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad.

Medical experts were of the view that the consumption of unhygienic food, drinks and contaminated water were major causes of such infectious diseases. They said the majority of the patients fall victim to such diseases due to extreme hot weather conditions and the use of contaminated water.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2018.