By Shamsul Islam Naz
FAISALABAD, May 23: A slight decline in the gastroenteritis cases has been reported in Ghulam Muhammadabad as the number of patients visiting various healthcare centres here came down to 245 on Tuesday. Children are still among the most vulnerable as out of the total reported cases 200 patients were under 12. A good number of women and girls were also hit by the ailment which has till the date claimed 11 lives.
However, according to medical sources, situation was still serious, especially in Ghulam Muhammadabad, Qudaratabad, Rehmatabad and the adjoining areas.
The most alarming aspect of the situation was that many patients who had been relieved from various hospitals and clinics three to four days ago were now again visiting the facilities with disease symptoms, the sources said.
Doctors at the General Hospital, Ghulam Muhammadabad, Allied Hospital, DHQ Hospital and the two emergency centres set up by the government confirmed that the patients’ recovery rate was low. However, they said the casualty rate had been controlled as not even a single patient died due to the disease during the last two days.
Health department officials claimed that the disease incidence would be completely controlled within the next two days as ‘comprehensive’ precautionary measures had been taken in the affected areas.
However, a visit to the affected areas revealed that the water supply through Wasa’s dilapidated network was continuing in some localities where the underground pipes were found leaking resulting in mixing of sewage with ‘potable’ water.
Meanwhile, on the sixth day of the disease outbreak some of the state officials including Punjab Assembly Speaker Muhammad Afzal Sahi visited the affected areas and inquired after under-treatment patients at various health facilities.
Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed also paid a belated visit to these facilities to monitor the arrangements made for the patients by the Health department.
He claimed that so far 5,000 gastroenteritis patients had been provided free medical care at various government hospitals. He assured the public that the officials responsible for the outbreak would be taken to task.
Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Dr Muhammad Shafique also visited the affected areas and medical centres.
Girl dies in Toba
By Our Correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH, May 23: A one-year-old girl child died here of gastroenteritis on Tuesday at Gojra tehsil headquarter hospital. The deceased, Aqsa, of Muradabad (Faisalabad), who had slight attack of the disease, was accompanying her mother Fatima, who had come to see her relatives in Ayub Colony, Gojra.
Both the mother and daughter fell seriously ill and were admitted to the hospital where Aqsa died. Fatima was still under treatment at the hospital.
