By: Sajjad Hussain Kalyar
The Chief Secretary Sindh has taken notice of the deaths of 17 children in the affected areas during and after the rains in the province from July 7 till now and directed to find out the reasons for them. According to reports, the district authorities of Dadu had written a letter to the officials of the health department on August 5 and 6, directing them to set up camps in the areas affected by rains and floods so that food and medical facilities could be provided to the victims in time. However, the aforementioned loss of precious human lives is a matter of concern, although many losses could have been avoided due to earlier measures. After the recent record rains and floods in Balochistan and Sindh, cholera and other epidemic diseases are arising due to the use of contaminated water in many urban and rural communities of the country including other provinces. On the other hand, due to stagnant rainwater, there is a possibility of spreading diseases quickly and there are also reports of dengue larvae being produced in the districts of Sindh and Punjab. The federal and provincial governments and every district administration of the country should keep a close watch on the faced and possible situations. The Meteorological Department has predicted more stormy rains in the coming days and the water level in the rivers is expected to rise. It will be necessary to make advance security arrangements in nearby settlements and low-lying areas. Citizens should also take care of health and cleanliness in their own areas and avoid the causes of epidemics.