Floods damaged 139 healthcare facilities worth Rs 3.9 billion in 12 districts of the Sindh province. This was stated by Captain Abdul Majid (Retd), Special Secretary, Sindh Health Department at a press conference here on Thursday. He said 139 healthcare facilities including Rural Health Units (RHUs), Basic Health Units (BHUs) and hospitals were fully or partially damaged by floods in Sindh.
Out of 139, 14 RHUs, 77 BHUs, 42 dispensaries, two MNCH and 4 taluka hospitals were partially or completely damaged, he added. Giving details of district-wise losses, he said 32 health facilities in District Jacobabad, 19 in Dadu, 18 in Qambar Shahdadkot, 16 in Thatta, 14 Shaheed Benazirabad, 14 in Shikarpur, 8 in Kashmore, 5 in Sukkur, 5 in Jamshoro, 3 in Larkana, 4 in Naushero Feroze and one healthcare centre was damaged in Khairpur.
At least 1.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), suffering from different diseases, were treated in 426 fixed camps and 149 mobile medical camps in Sindh from July 31 to September 09. He said number of patients with abdominal diseases, diarrhea and gastro-enteritis was increasing due to consumption of contaminated water. Giving further details, he said 206,582 patients of diarrhea, 38,106 gastroenteritis, 198,013 ARI, 145,000 malaria, 219,728 skin diseases, 4,246 heat stroke, 85,786 eye infection and 334,525 patients suffering from various diseases were reported in the camps of Sindh. He said 319,483 IDPs were vaccinated from July to September.
Total 73,707 vaccinations for hepatitis and 41,539 for vitamin A were conducted. He said 369 cases of snake bites and 87 deaths were reported. He said 10,480 pregnant women were registered in these camps and 608 women gave birth to babies. The award goes to the provincial government that none of the pregnant women or their babies died during delivery, he added.