In Taunsa, a child died and three hundred people are reportedly in critical condition after having eaten substandard food in a flood relief camp. Officials said one of the cams in Taunsa Sharif was serving substandard food. Consequently over 300 people are currently suffering from various stomach diseases such as gastroenteritis and diarrhea.
According to relief workers most of the food has been provided by local patwaris and some NGOs operating in the region. Several flood victims said that the water which was being provided to them was contaminated, adding that they were being served bread being made from poor quality grain. “The food is not fit to eat but we are desperate and have no choice,” said Ameena Bibi, one of the women at the relief camp.
“We cannot blame the people carrying out relief efforts for the quality of the food and lack of clean water. The flood victims have been suffering from stomach diseased and the subpar food is still food, there is nothing else available!” said Dr Salman Tahir.
Most of the patients have been rushed to the nearby civil hospital for treatment where doctors have declared some of them to be in critical condition.
Khurrianwala:
Police officials recently recovered a new born child who had been abducted from a relief camp.
The boy was abducted from Makwana by three women, and police officials disclosed that the 15-day-old son of Muhammad Aslam, who came to Makwana due to floods in his area was abducted by three women Mumtaz Bibi, Shumaila Bibi and an unidentified accomplice. “I came here six days ago after my home was washed away and two nights after my son vanished while I was asleep,” Aslam said. Shumaila Bibi allegedly engaged the boy’s mother in conversation and the other two accused took the child. Khurrianwala station house officer took action and recovered the boy after arresting the women.
Ahmed Pur Lama:
Three people were arrested for stealing a flood victim’s donkey cart worth Rs 60,000. Ahmed Pur Lama police has registered a case and started an investigation. According to details Alam Khan Baloch was taking shelter in a Dadla Shaheed Colony flood relief camp when locals Ghulam Qadir, Huq Nawaz and Ayaz Baloch stole his donkey cart. Residents of the area woke up after dogs barked at the thieves and held the accused, who were handed over to the police. Ahmed Pur Lama police registered a case on the complaint of the cart owner. “I was asleep when I heard the dogs barking,” Baloch said, adding “There is no way to safeguard the little possessions we have left.”
Dera Ghazi Khan:
According to health workers in relief camps throughout the district over 400 people are suffering from acute gastroenteritis.
“Those visiting private hospitals and quacks are even greater in number,” said Dr Saleha, a medical student volunteering in the area. “Patients are complaining that they have not received any medicine in the hospital and that they are not being provided medicine in the camps. We don’t know what to do, the supplies we have brought with us are not nearly enough to cater to the people’s needs,” she said. Most of the patients consist of women and children.
Multan:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the federal health department have set up their base camp in Multan. In order to provide medical assistance in flood-hit areas, six ambulances along with doctors and medicine and paramedics have been dispatched to the area. “We will be providing more ambulances. With the help of pharmaceutical companies, affluent people and the WHO more medicine will be provided to the people who need it,” said WHO representative Saadia Akhlaq.
The WHO workers have said that cases of dog and snake bite victims are increasing in flood zones.
“Just as people have been dislocated by the floods so have several dangerous animals and people need to be very careful about approaching or giving water to stray dogs that pose a risk of rabies,” she said, adding that rabies vaccines and anti-venom injections were being provided to the flood victims.
EDOs and lady health visitors are being tasked to help flood victims and a progress report will be sought after 15 days. WHO representative, Dr Wedo, said they were giving more attention to primary care at present until the people could be resettled.
Muzaffargarh:
A labourer drowned after struggling against the vicious waves of floodwater in village Basti Paka Ghalawan, Khangarh.
According to the family, Ashique was a worker at a factory in Faisalabad. After the flood waters began to ebb in Khangarh, he returned home to his family at Basti Ghalwan. On Saturday, he fell into the floodwater near the basti and drowned. Rescue teams in the area are searching for his body.
Meanwhile, locals also looted trucks carrying relief goods to the area. According to Muzaffargarh High School teacher Karamat Shah, two trucks left for the Chowk Sarwar Shaheed and Mehmood Kot relief camps but people looted them en route.
“The children of the school had spent a week collecting donations and gathering and packing relief items to place in the trucks and then we heard they had been robbed,” he said. Tehsildar Sahibzada Afzar said that the district coordination officer (DCO) Muzaffargarh, Farasat Iqbal, took notice of the incident and has sought the Pakistan Army’s assistance in this regard.
Bahawalpur:
Relief goods containing edible items, clothes, milk, rice and other essential commodities of daily use have been dispatched to flood zones in Rahim Yar Khan for distribution. Trucks carrying 15 tons of relief goods were dispatched by the Bahawalpur Garrison Rohi Ladies Club, to mitigate the sufferings of the flood-ravaged people. Eye witnesses said that people could be seen crowding near the trucks for goods as several brawls broke out at food distribution outlets.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2010.
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