QUETTA: Young Doctors Association Balochistan Chairperson Dr Bahar Shah on Tuesday said the authorities should act quickly and take action against the breakout of waterborne diseases in the flood-hit areas as the situation could get out of hand in the absence of immediate remedial steps.

Speaking at a press conference, the doctor said that malaria, diarrhea, skin diseases have broken out in the areas where the flood water was still standing. “Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, and other three districts were badly affected where tens of thousands of patients were reported,” he said, adding that there was a shortage of medicines and other healthcare facilities in these districts.

He said in the absence of immediate measures, the death toll due to these diseases could increase manifold. He urged the government to provide required medicines in the flood-affected areas. He said that in this situation more doctors were needed and the health department should immediately ensure the recruitment of senior doctors on a contract basis.

Dr Shah claimed that the chief secretary, Abdul Aziz Uqaili, has repeatedly been rejecting the summary for the recruitment of new doctors to tackle the health crisis. He said that Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudus Bizenjo should take notice of this situation and approve the recruitment of doctors.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022