Residents of flood-affected areas in Baghlan report a significant increase in illnesses following the recent floods in the province. They state that diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, headaches, and back pain have surged unprecedentedly among both children and adults in these regions after the devastating floods.
Flood victims from Burka, Dahan-e-Ghori, and Central Baghlan districts told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the performance of health teams in these areas has been ineffective. They emphasized that many places need more healthcare centers, and where such centers do exist, they are unable to address the people’s problems.
These flood victims stressed that the lack of access to clean drinking water, combined with polluted air from dust, flood debris, and the stench from dead animals, has caused various diseases among the population.
Farid Ahmad, a resident of Burka district, said, “We have no drinking water; all wells and drinking water reserves have been destroyed. The running water is also unusable due to the floods. Children, women, and adults are all suffering from diarrhea or other illnesses.”
Motallib, another resident of this district, said, “There are no healthcare centers here. Some mobile health teams came and left. The teams present cannot address the health issues of the people, and they even lack sufficient medicine.”
The health problems are not limited to the district of Burka. Residents of flood-affected areas in Central Baghlan also report severe health issues. Mohammad Naeem, a resident of Central Baghlan district, said, “There are no female doctors in the health teams. Women and children here are very sick, suffering from nausea, diarrhea, and other illnesses. However, there is no health team or center that can help the people.”
Meanwhile, a doctor from a World Health Organization survey team, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that people are contracting various diseases due to the use of contaminated and unsafe water. He also confirmed that several individuals have tested positive for COVID-19.
Residents of other flood-affected areas in Baghlan also report that the lack of effective mobile health teams and clean drinking water has exacerbated the health problems. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the outbreak of various diseases, particularly among children, in Baghlan province. According to WHO, between May 11 and May 13, 106 cases of acute respiratory infection and 115 cases of acute watery diarrhea were recorded in the flood-affected areas of Baghlan province.
In its report, the WHO stated that the situation in the flood-affected areas is critical, with thousands of people in need of food, shelter, and immediate health services. The organization noted that the districts of Burka and Nahrin have faced significant challenges in accessing healthcare services following the destruction of the main road.
WHO has indicated that, in addition to providing necessary equipment to health centers and raising awareness about waterborne diseases, four health teams are currently assessing the primary needs of flood victims in the districts of Burka, New Baghlan, Gozargah-e-Noor, and Pul-e-Khumri.
Previously, residents of Tishkan district in Badakhshan province and flood victims in the province of Ghor had also reported an increase in cases of bloody diarrhea, high fever, and other infections among children.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
سیلاب و شیوع امراض؛ باشندهگان بغلان از افزایش امراض مختلف نگرانند | روزنامه ۸صبح
