Polluted water triggers outbreak of diarrhoea

Staff Reporter :

The number of people suffering from diarrhoea is increasing day by day because the water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is continuing to supply polluted water to Dhaka residents .

Eighty percent at the International Center for Diarrhoeal Diseases and Research ,Bangladesh (ICDDR,B ) reported that the drinking water supplied by WASA is foul smelling and dirty .

Each day more than 800 patients seek treatment at the ICDDR,B. in the last fortnight ,the number of patients  being admitted each day has increased by around30 patients .

The majority of patients requiring treatment at the ICDDR,B are from the capital’s Mirpur , Khilkhet ,Demra , Badda ,Warelessgate , Rampura areas , as well as Pagla in Narayanganj .

Shahjahan Siraj , a resident of Mirpur , Sheorapara , said ,”Our water has been smelly and dirty for the last month . Even boiling it fails to remove the odour ."

Scientist and Head of longer Stay Unite of ICDDR,B Dr Shahadat Hossain said , “ Around this time of year is it common for a significant number of people to suffer from diarrhoeal diseases .

Managing Director of WASA Taksin A Khan has acknowledged that the water supplied by WASA is foul-smelling in many areas .

Khan believes that the majority of people suffering from diarrhea are slum dwellers that have accessed the water using illegal rubber pipelines.