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By Jehangir Khan Tareen
ISLAMABAD, Oct 5 (APP): Floods are among the most common and destructive natural disasters, causing widespread damage to infrastructure, property, and human life.
One of the most severe and immediate consequences of flooding is the outbreak of waterborne diseases. These diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms that are transmitted through contaminated water.
The disruption of clean water supplies, sanitation systems, and hygiene infrastructure during floods create a perfect environment for these diseases to spread rapidly, leading to significant public health crises.
The link between floods and waterborne diseases is direct and multifaceted.
Ex MS Children Complex, Dr Ahsan ullah Khan, said that floods can damage water treatment plants, break water pipes, and submerge pump houses. This interrupts the supply of clean, treated water and forces people to use unsafe water sources for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.
He informed that floods often force people to evacuate their homes and seek shelter in temporary camps. These camps are frequently overcrowded, with inadequate sanitation and limited access to clean water, creating ideal conditions for person-to-person transmission of diseases.
As floodwaters recede, they leave behind stagnant pools of water. These pools become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which can transmit vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, often compounding the health, he explained.
Floodwaters can spoil food stocks and contaminate crops with pathogenic bacteria and chemicals, leading to foodborne NMU Senior Demonstrator Pharmacology, Dr Imran Rafiq stated several waterborne diseases pose a significant threat in the aftermath of floods. The most critical include:
Diarrheal Diseases
This is the most common and dangerous category, especially for children.
Cholera: Caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It leads to severe, watery diarrhea and vomiting, causing rapid dehydration and death within hours if left untreated.
Typhoid Fever: Caused by Salmonella Typhi. Symptoms include high fever, weakness, stomach pain, and diarrhea or constipation.
Dysentery: Can be bacterial (Shigellosis) or amoebic (Amoebiasis). It is characterized by severe diarrhea with blood and mucus.
E. coli Infection & Rotavirus: Common causes of severe diarrhea in children.
B. Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E
These are viral infections that affect the liver. They are primarily spread through the fecal-oral route due to contaminated water or food. Symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain. Hepatitis E is particularly dangerous for pregnant women.
C. Leptospirosis
This is a bacterial disease (Leptospira spp.) spread through water contaminated with the urine of infected animals (especially rodents). People wading through floodwaters are at high risk. Symptoms range from high fever and severe headache to kidney failure and liver damage (Weil’s disease).
D. Vector-Borne Diseases Linked to Stagnant Water
While not strictly waterborne in the same way, these diseases explode due to the water left by floods.
Malaria and Dengue Fever: Stagnant water provides perfect breeding sites for mosquitoes (Anopheles for malaria, Aedes for dengue).
4. High-Risk Groups
Certain populations are more vulnerable to waterborne diseases during floods:
Children under 5: Their immune systems are underdeveloped, and they are more susceptible to severe dehydration from diarrhea.
Elderly Individuals: Often have weaker immune systems and co-existing health conditions.
Pregnant Women: At higher risk for complications from diseases like Hepatitis E and Leptospirosis.
People with Compromised Immune Systems: Such as those with HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, or undergoing chemotherapy.
Displaced Populations: Those living in temporary shelters with poor sanitation.
NMU Assist Prof Medicines, Dr Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, while discussing about prevention and control measures noted that A multi-pronged approach is essential to prevent outbreaks which includes immediate emergency response adding that distribution of bottled water, deployment of mobile water treatment plants, and provision of water purification tablets ( chlorine) are among some steps.
He suggested educating communities to use of boil water, chlorine drops, or solar disinfectants.
Rapid diagnostic tests and treatment centers should be set up to diagnose and treat common diseases like cholera and malaria promptly. Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is a lifesaving treatment for diarrhea, Dr Sheikh recommended.
Waterborne diseases are a dire and predictable consequence of flooding that compound human suffering. The disruption of safe water and sanitation is the primary driver of these outbreaks. A proactive and coordinated response focusing on the immediate provision of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, combined with robust public health surveillance and long-term infrastructure development, is crucial to mitigating this threat. Protecting vulnerable populations from waterborne diseases is not just a medical challenge but a fundamental requirement for human dignity and recovery in the wake of a disaster.