DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 1: Health authorities have reached Basti Sabzani to initiate medical relief work after gestroentritis claimed lives of three women and a child in the area. The flood-affected people blame the district administration for the disease outbreak, saying it failed to provide medicines and food in the areas concerned.

Reports said three women and a child, Dilshad, died of gestro, while dozens of other people were suffering from the disease in the area. Three residents of Basti Sabzani— Allah Wasaya, Mohammed Bakhsh and Iqbal— told Dawn that the administration did not provide food and medicines to the flood-hit people, which contributed to disease outbreak in the areas adjacent to the river.

However, the health officials claimed that the situation was now under control.

Meanwhile, over 2,500 gastroenteritis patients have reportedly been admitted to the Nishtar Hospital’s emergency ward since mid June, adds APP. The hospital’s Emergency Ward Director Dr Muhammad Fahim told the agency on Monday that 61 such patients had approached the ward in the last 24 hours alone, out of which 26 were given medicines while 35 others with serious symptoms had been admitted.

He said so far 24 persons had died of the disease, but added that there were no deaths during the last two weeks. He said the problem still prevailed due to the persisting hot and humid weather which caused excessive sweating and resulted in dehydration.