HYDERABAD/DADU, June 2: Gastroenteritis claimed lives of eight more children in Hyderabad and Dadu on Tuesday night and Wednesday, bringing the death toll from water-borne diseases to 32 since May 15. Three children died at the Civil Hospital of Hyderabad's paediatrics ward.

Dispenser Zulfikar, who looks after the gastroenteritis counter at the ward, confirmed the deaths of one-and-half-year-old Zahida, Uzma and one-year-old Nazish. He said that Zahida and Uzma had been brought to the hospital on Wednesday while Nazish was admitted since May 27.

Eight-month-old Hamza died at his home in Mujahid Colony, Latifabad-10, after he was discharged from the Bhitai Hospital. In Dadu, two sisters Gul Bano, 3, and Kaz Bano, 5, died on Tuesday evening whereas 18-month-old Abu Bakar and Rahim Bukhsh, 2, died on Wednesday in the Dilawar village, situated at the bank of the Manchhar Lake.

Several people are suffering from gastroenteritis and other stomach diseases in the village. Meanwhile, EDO of health Dr Maula Bux Jamali claimed that medical teams were providing medicines to the fishermen and their families in different villages around the Manchhar Lake.

He admitted that some diarrhoea cases were reported at the government healthcare facilities near the lake but insisted that they were seasonal cases. He denied outbreak of gastroenteritis in the villages around the Lake and argued that no gastroenteritis patient had died at a government hospital.

Dadu District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar admitted that fishermen and inhabitants of the Manchhar Lake were drinking contaminated water due to which a majority of them was facing health problems. He said that the gastroenteritis and other stomach diseases were spreading among the fishermen and other residents of the area and stressed the need for providing them medicines at their doorsteps.