VEHARI, June 3: Dozens of people, including women and children, are being treated for water-borne diseases in different hospitals and clinics of the district for the last few days.

Most of the patients are suffering from diseases like, cholera and gastroenteritis, owing to contaminated drinking water. Neither doctors nor the staff of private clinics in Mailsi suburbs, where occurred few casualties as well, are ready to disclose the names of the dead.

The worst-affected areas are: Karampur, 9-11/WB, People’s Colony, Muslim Town, College Town, Mailsi suburbs, Masani Bagh, Garah Morr, Tibba Sultanpur, Luddan, Machiwal and Thingi Colony.

The data collected by this correspondent revealed that about 10 to 15 patients were admitted to the Mailsi THQ Hospital every day.

Their numbers in other state-run hospitals are in dozens. The patients have a barrage of complaints from not being looked after properly to purchase of medicines from the market.

A DHQ hospital doctor did confirm the admission of about a dozen patients daily with gastroenteritis and other water-borne ailments, but he denied the report of improper treatment.

Dr Tariq, who runs a private clinic at Chak 9-11/WB, claimed that around 20 patients out of 35 he checked daily were affected by water-borne diseases.

Dr Umer Shah of Muslim Town said that he checked 57 patients on Sunday and 12 among them were the victims of contaminated drinking water.

Despite repeated complaints, neither the tehsil municipal administration nor the district government has taken any step to provide clean potable water to the citizens.

A TMA official said that water supply lines had damaged from various spots that was the main cause of mixing of the sewerage water.

A group of people of Thingi Colony said the drinking water in their area had long been declared unfit for human consumption, but the authorities concerned had taken no measures to look up the situation.

About a dozen people, particularly the children, died every year, they said.

EDO (health) Dr Zulfiqar Bhango said he was not informed about gastroenteritis and cholera cases, but admitted the presence of patients with dehydration at various state-run hospitals.

He advised the people to use boiled water and steer clear of overeating and substandard cold drinks.