KARACHI, July 17: Speakers at a seminar urged use of boiled water and anti-bacterial medicines like Chlorine in drinking water as precautionary measures against water-borne diseases.

The seminar was organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) on ‘Preventing Rain-related Diseases’ at the Vicky Zeitlin Media Library Press Centre.

Faqir Mohammad Jadam Mangrio, advisor to Sindh chief minister on community development, said the government alone could not do much without community participation and added that journalists, doctors and NGOs could play vital role in creating awareness among the people regarding epidemics.

Mr Mangrio, commenting on the role of NGOs said that government would undertake audit process and only genuine organizations would be allowed to work.

Ali Nawaz Shaikh, EDO, Health, City District Government Karachi (CDGK) said that City government took preventive measures prior to start of the rainy season.

He elaborated that two camps, one each in Gadap and Landhi towns, were held by the city government where 5,000 cases of gastro-enteritis were registered.

Out of these cases, not a single child died and only one patient was referred to the Jinnah Post Medical Centre, besides that the city government issued 4,000 to 5,000 drips to 100 patients in Korangi Hospital, EDO health said.

Similarly, health education programme had been launched, in addition to routine water sample tests, he added.

Dr Shaikh said that the CDGK took 29 samples of water from Landhi town for tests, of which 24 were rejected and declared unfit for human use due to contamination.

Additional secretary, Health, Sindh, Mohammad Iqbal Dewan, said 80 per cent of government’s health budget was being utilized for curative health, contrary to 20 per cent for preventive health, adding that government was trying to devise a system for equal distribution of resources between the two sectors.

Dr Mashoor Alam Shah, Professor of Medicine at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, while highlighting effects of rains on common man’s health said that number of mosquitoes and flies got multiplied after rains, and sewage water was mixed with drinking water, which could cause gastro-enteritis, typhoid, hepatitis-A, Pneumonia and Cholera.

He stressed that media should take public health issues separately and should highlight preventive health education.

To avoid epidemic diseases, drinking water should be stored in a hygienic manner, and added that Sodium, Potassium and other salts should be used in case of diarrhoea, he emphasised.

Dr Sultan Ali, Medical Superintendent, Spancer Eye Hospital, said after rainy season problems of eyes were on the rise, mainly caused due to climatic conditions, contaminated water and air pollution.

He said Keratoconjivitis virus caused redness in the eyes of the patients and water discharged from eyes. — PPI