National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Health experts on Monday urged to
prepare emergency health plan to avoid from outbreak of communicable
diseases in high-risk flood areas.
According to them, communicable diseases are easily
transmitted in high-risk areas by use of unsafe water for drinking
and deteriorated health conditions of the affected population.
They said displacement of large number of people and sudden
crowds in camps, lack of safe water and sanitation facilities have
adverse health impacts on the population affected which require
preventative interventions.
They said if proper interventions are not made on time, the
communicable disease will increase rapidly and have a devastating
impact on the already-affected community hit by floods.
Medical expert Dr Wasim Khawaja from Pakistan Institute of
Medical Sciences (PIMS) said it should be the first priority to
establish health facilities in the disaster-hit area to provide
first aid and treat emergency cases.
He said the health personnel on site for the control of
outbreak of communicable diseases should know how to carry out
primary investigation and then on the basis of that investigation
confirm the presence of pathogens and then with the treatment and
prevention procedures.
He said that for the prevention of communicable diseases
after floods, it is important to know the factors causing them,
modes of transmission, management of the infectious diseases, and
then different preventative interventions to control the spread of
communicable diseases.
He said that if pathogens are already present in an area hit
by a flood, then the chances of disease caused by that pathogen is
likely to occur because the conditions become ideal for transmission
of the reduced vulnerability of the population affected.
Dr Khawaja added floods may result in massive population
displacement from one place to another which may lead to increase in
transmission of disease. Migration of people and high population
density in camps provide ideal conditions for the passage of
communicable diseases, he added.
He said the change in environment after any disaster causes
an increase in infectious diseases such as contamination of water
after floods because of the cross connection between water and
sewage lines.
Senior medical practitioner Dr Sharif Astori from Federal
Government Poly Clinic (FGPC) said diseases may carry from direct
person-to-person contact, while water-borne diseases are spread by
using the contaminated water like gastroenteritis, cholera, etc.
He added air-borne large-population density at a particular
area helps in transmission of infection through droplets and
vector-borne diseases such as malaria or dengue are transmitted by
different insects like mosquitoes,
He said in any flood like situation health surveillance
systems should be reinforced, and guidelines should be given on how
to manage the information about potential diseases. The population
should be educated about the potential threats of the communicable
diseases.
He said that chlorine is the best protectant against almost
all water-borne pathogens, is easily available, and it is easy to
use. However, international guidelines must be followed while
establishing settlements in which the water is readily available for
sanitation.
He said that mass immunization of the population affected
after floods can be an efficient and effective way to stop the
outbreak of communicable diseases, especially in children below the
age of five.
He added communities should be educated about the preventative
measures to control malaria and dengue such as covering all vessels
containing water and removing or destroying any place or solid
debris where water can collect.
He said that people must be educated about the importance of
hand washing and personal hygiene on site. Safe water and food must
be provided for the people, and proper shelter and sanitation
facilities are very important for prevention of infectious diseases.