KARACHI, July 3: The Karachiites are at constant risk of contracting water-borne diseases, and even if the authorities take immediate steps to improve the water supply system, it will take several years to bring about a meaningful change in the situation.

Therefore, it is imperative that the citizens take matters in their own hands. This was stated by experts on Wednesday.

“Let’s not discuss whether the authorities are sincere or not,” said Dr Afia Zafar of the Aga Khan University. “Even if they are, it will take years before things will improve.

“That’s why we should stress precautionary steps to be taken by every household.” She said the best way to get rid of the water-borne diseases was to boil water for at least 10 minutes before use.

Dr Rumina Hasan, also of the Aga Khan University, agreed with Dr Zafar. She told Dawn that boiling water for five minutes or more results in the elimination of micro-organisms that cause cholera and typhoid.

Dr Altaf Ahmed of the Liaquat National Hospital said not only should boiled water be used for drinking but also for washing vegetables and meat. “All foodstuffs should be washed with boiled water.”

The secretary-general of the Infectious Diseases Control Society of Pakistan said before and after eating anything, every individual should wash his or her hands with soap.

“The idea is to stop the bacteria that might have contaminated a person’s hands from contaminating the food.”

Dr Ahmed said in every summer the consumption of water goes up. “And since the water is contaminated, the cases of cholera and typhoid multiply in June and July.”

The only way in which the problem could be contained was through taking appropriate precautionary steps, he added.

Meanwhile, the outbreak of gastro-enteritis which erupted in Landhi Town last week appears to have come under control. The volunteers of Edhi Foundation have been withdrawn and almost all the patients admitted in the Sindh Government Hospital Korangi No 5 have been discharged.

Rizwan Edhi told Dawn that no ambulance was deputed on Thursday to the Muslimabad and Moinabad areas where eight people died and several thousand fell sick allegedly after consuming contaminated water.

He added that no new case of gastro-enteritis had been reported from the areas on Thursday.