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27 August 2002 by Razia Jobed in Bangladesh Monsoon rains this year have resulted in floods which have submerged upto half of Bangladesh. The floods have killed more than 90 people, damaged thousands of homes and 500,000 hectares of rice paddies. As the flood waters receded in several districts in the north, centre and south-east of the country, they gave way to outbreaks of waterborne diseases which struck the most vulnerable groups in Bangladesh - those already living below the poverty line, women and children particularly. The Bangladesh Red Crescent has dispatched six medical teams to the worst affected districts. Two of the teams have provided medical assistance to more than 200 women and children on a daily basis in Sirajganj and Gaibandha districts, situated 150 kms north-west of Dhaka. Each medical team is composed of a doctor, a paramedic and Red Crescent youth and female volunteers and medical supplies. The teams also carry with them supplies of oral rehydration sachets and water purification tablets in order to minimise waterborne illnesses. The threat of such illnesses is real. Recent Ministry of Health figures have more than 30,000 people in flooded areas being affected by waterborne diseases. And in the capital, Dhaka, dengue fever which is caused by mosquitos, has led to more than 2,000 people needing medical treatment and has resulted in the deaths of more than 25 people. Stagnant water, polluted sources of drinking water and people living in unhygienic conditions in open fields or embankments have been the main causes of illnesses such as dysentery, diarrhoea and dengue fever. Hazera Begum, a 35-year-old mother with three sick children, turned to the Bangladesh Red Crescent medical teams for help at a camp set up at Biara village in Sirajganj district. "I hope our turn will come soon and the doctors, who have come to this village like angels will take care of my children" she told Red Crescent volunteers as she stands in a queue. Biara is a small village in a district where about 36,000 people were infected by different flood-related diseases. The seven member Biara medical camp is headed by an experienced doctor who will continue to provide medical assistance to hundreds of patients daily for an initial period of one month. To support the Bangladesh Red Crescent in its work to minimise the danger to the health of flood victims as well as provide emergency relief items such as food and shelter, the International Federation launched an appeal for 1.3 million USD earlier this month. In one of the responses to the appeal, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Bangladesh donated 4.2 million of water purification tablets to the Federation appeal to be distributed among the population of the worst affected flood regions. Related Links: Appeal - Monsoon Floods Make an Online Donation More on: South Asia Floods |
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