Specialist Calls For Caution Against Waterborne Diseases During Monsoon

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jul, 2019 ) :Health specialist Wednesday advised citizens to use only boiled water and avoid outdoor meals, especially during the rainy season as consuming eatables sold by street hawkers under unhygienic conditions is equivalent to inviting health problems.

Talking to a private news channel, ENT specialist Dr Younus Hayat said, during monsoon as the moisture in air stimulates growth and multiplication of many harmful micro- organisms, degradation in health is a common cry.

He explained that monsoon season brings along numerous diseases every year due to harmful viruses, adding, the humid climate, heavy rains and windy environment spreads many infectious diseases.

Increase in the cases of waterborne diseases mainly affects youngsters as they are the customers at large at street stalls.

Eating out can cause harmful diseases like food poisoning, diarrhea, dysentery and cholera. Hand to hand contamination of germs causes another means, by which germs spread, he added.

Health expert says that the roadside food contains impurities leading to the growth of tapeworm inside the stomach. Street food could cause intestinal infection like abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting,fever (lung infection) and urinary tract infection.

Raw milk and raw vegetables juices have also been found to carry harmful germs and therefore, it is advisable to consume only boiled/cooked food. Boiling, cooking helps kill germs, thereby making food safe for consumption.

Dr Hayyat further claim more children and middle-aged individuals have reported suffering from food poisoning aggravated by the consumption of raw vegetables and raw milk.

"The common ailments during monsoons are water borne diseases, he mentioned." Specialist said there was a dire need to create maximum awareness among the masses about personal hygiene and sanitation can save people from water-borne diseases. We encourage people to chemically treat water before using it for drinking purpose," he said.

Moreover he suggested that parents must wash their hands for 30 seconds before attending to their infants, they must ensure that fruits and vegetables are washed properly before feeding.

Children should be strictly given purified or boiled water, he said, adding since contaminated food and water are the only source of these diseases, improved eating habits and maintaining hygiene can prevent them.

Dr. said poor sanitation during monsoon can easily spread the diseases, as it prepares the breeding ground for mosquitoes.