By: Kamran Khamiso Khowaja
SUJAWAL: Eczema, a skin disease, is rapidly spreading in the village Urs Temro of Taluka Jati district Sujawal that has affected more than 300 villagers including women and newborn babies. According to a survey conducted by this scribe, the villagers have been putting up with this infectious disease for the past seven months, and owing to improper treatment and lack of precautionary measures the disease is aggravating further. Following the survey, several reasons surfaced that caused the spread of this contagious disease including lack of awareness, use of contaminated water, and polluted surroundings.
While talking to this correspondent regarding the alarming situation in the village Medical Superintendent of Taluka Hospital Jati Dr. Yameen Shah said that the use of contaminated water was the foremost cause behind the rapid spread of this disease however he held that the situation was not alarming rather it was well under control. He said that following the directions issued by the District Health Officer Dr. Shahenaz Khowaja a team of doctors will visit the village to examine the affected villagers that according to him were nearly over a dozen.
Meanwhile, Professor at People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences For Women and Head of Hajiani Welfare trust Dr. Mashouqe Ali Hajiani who visited the village to examine affected villagers told local reporters that the patients were affected from head to toe and since they had not got any treatment the infection was intensifying further and it had now become chronic dermatitis. If the measures were not taken this disease would turn into an epidemic that might spread to other villages of the area; he feared.
It appears that the polluted atmosphere coupled with unhygienic conditions has triggered the outbreak of the contagious disease in the area, he said. He assured affected villagers that soon a medical camp would be set up in the village for treating chronic dermatitis.
Social activist Zahid Ishaque said that the villagers were associated with fishing and the treatment of the disease was highly expensive and beyond their reach. He further said that since the water level in the ponds and canals had dropped drastically they went into the contaminated water for fishing and that according to doctors was the main reason behind the rapid spread of the disease.
