ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: National as well as international relief agencies should seek assistance from Saudi government with their experience of managing water and sanitation at thousands of tent accommodations during Haj.

This was suggested by The Network for Consumer Protection on Thursday following the recent WHO diarrhoea outbreak warning in the earthquake affected area.

The NGO warned that without urgently addressing issues related to water supply and sanitation at the tent accommodations, outbreaks cannot be controlled.

It also asked the relief agencies to improve water supply and sanitation situations to stop diarrhoea and various other diseases’ outbreaks by taking care of human, solid and hospital waste management.

It is also suggested that Mechanized Auger attached to jeep or tractor used for plantation, can be made to dig small pits about 1-2 ft deep around the lower periphery of the tent accommodations. These holes can be used for defecation and continuously covered with the same soil.

The residents should be educated to wash their hands with soap after defecation, and soap should be added to the emergency relief goods and made available for this purpose.

Referring to a recent water quality official report about earthquake-hit areas, it said microbiological contamination had emerged as a major problem in most of the cities, especially in Azad Kashmir, which caused diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis and so on.