Floods increase the risk of waterborne diseases in Bangladesh

As the flood waters began to recede, outbreaks of water-borne diseases, rampant skin diseases and drug shortages increased. At the same time, due to lack of manpower to provide health care, the people of the flood affected areas are at serious health risk.

Field level health officials, health experts and public health experts said these at a multilateral discussion meeting on post-flood health risks, field realities and priorities organized at BRAC Center in the capital on Wednesday morning.

The representative of the private relief program of Fatikchhari, Chattogram Dr. Mohsin Zillur Karim said, women in flood-affected areas are suffering from high blood pressure. Being drenched in water for 10 to 12 hours continuously, they have to face this problem. The presence of various complex diseases is being noticed among the youth. Due to lack of manpower, it is difficult to provide services to patients of this category.

Sylhet City Corporation former mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said, as there is a shortage of essential medicines and due to fact that the local administration is in a fragile state, it has become difficult to provide support to the local health department. Due to which it has become difficult to ensure healthcare in remote areas.

Civil surgeons of Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Laxmipur, Feni and Cumilla presented their field experience in the inaugural ceremony. Besides, the volunteers of student representatives, private organizations/NGOs gave details of their work.

The program was moderated by BRAC's chairparson Dr. Hussain Zillur Rahman.