Infant dies of gastro in Rahim Yar Khan

Unhygienic food and lack of cleanliness major cause of disease

RAHIM YAR KHAN: An infant died of gastro while several others remained hospitalised due to dysentery and vomiting in Rahim Yar Khan on Wednesday. The gastro epidemic is spreading like wildfire as 17 patients have been admitted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital of the city. Those currently being treated also include children.



Officials told Express News that two-month-old Abia Bibi was admitted to the hospital after being infected by gastro in her resident neighbourhood of Iqbal Nagar. However, the infant succumbed to the infection despite all efforts to save her.

Other gastro patients admitted at the health facility included eight-month-old Imam Din, 10-year-old Aliya Bibi, five-year-old Saeedur Rehman, 20-year-old Sadia Bibi, 32-year-old Muhammad Ilyas, 26-year-old Muhammad Ali, 25-year-old Saira Bibi and others.

Earlier, the health department’s official record revealed that at least 193,117 acute diarrhea 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 from January 1 to  May 11, 2017.

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 are 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, September 6^th, 2018.