KARACHI, Dec 25: About 350 adults and children reported for treatment at a special health camp set up in the oil spill affected area of Korangi town on Thursday. The Town Health Officer of Korangi, Dr Syed Hussain Ahmed, told Dawn that the camp was organised jointly by the Town Health Office and the Sindh Government Hospital Korangi. He said the camp aimed to extend treatment to people who reported health problems due to the air pollution and environmental deterioration that took place after a crude oil leakage from a Parco pipeline in the area on Dec 17.

About 35 people came to the camp with skin related diseases, including itching, while another 30 people complained about irritation in their eyes due to the oil, the THO informed Dawn.

He said that cases of respiratory malfunction were almost negligible at the camp, which ran from 9am to 6 pm. The authorities have surveyed the residents of about 200 houses in Sector 48-B of Korangi, which were sprayed with the crude oil that gushed 20-25 metres up in the air about a week ago. He said the THO now intended to have further follow-ups and door-to-door examinations of people who were considerably exposed to the oil.

Meanwhile, it emerged on Thursday that the establishment of a trauma centre at the Civil Hospital Karachi has been further delayed due to the cessation of renovation work on a Rs80 million building at Services Hospital, adds PPI.

According to the initial plan, the eye and neurosurgery wards at civil hospital will be shifted to the newly constructed building at Services hospital. Due the stoppage in renovation work, however, the establishment of the trauma centre has also been delayed.

Renovation on the services hospital building has been under way for a year, but came to a halt after alleged non-payment of bills to the contractor. Fifty labourers working on the renovation say their families suffer because they have not been receiving their wages on time.

Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Saeed Quraishy, when contacted, said the hospital administration has paid its bills to contractors and renovation work would recommence on Monday.