Malaria in epidemic proportions in flood-hit Balochistan

QUETTA: Mosquito-borne malaria disease has reached to flood-ravaged districts of Balochistan, quoting sources ARY News reported on Saturday.

In five districts of Balochistan 1595 cases of malaria reported in last 24 hours, sources said.

Overall, 62,471 malaria cases have been reported in five districts of Balochistan during the last two weeks, according to sources.

In last fortnight 19,082 malaria cases have been reported in district Sohbatpur of the province. In Naseerabad 14,104 cases of malaria surfaced, while in Jaffarabad 13,608 cases and Jhal Magsi 10,306 cases and in Dera Bugti 5,371 patients of the mosquito-borne disease reported, sources said.

Sources said that 110 pregnant women were malaria positive in the flood-affected districts.

According to an earlier report, 30,542 men 28,470 women, 10,340 children aged below five years and 48,672 children over 5 years were malaria positive in the said districts.

Viral infections and diseases continue their onslaught in flood-affected areas of Sindh as well.

It is a crisis situation in post flood Sindh and Balochistan as earlier predicted by the World Health Organization in a report during and after the flooding in Pakistan.

The situation required a robust response from the health authorities as well as the national leadership to tackle the health crisis on emergency basis.