Toxic water crisis exposes Karachi's failing infrastructure

Karachi [Pakistan] October 28 (ANI): In yet another alarming incident highlighting Pakistan's worsening public health and sanitation systems, nine people, including six children, have lost their lives to a gastroenteritis outbreak in a village on Karachi's outskirts. The tragedy unfolded in Faiz Muhammad Burro Goth, located near Bahria Town Karachi, within the jurisdiction of Thana Bola Khan, district Jamshoro, as reported by Dawn.

According to Dawn, the deaths occurred over several days after residents consumed contaminated water and food during a funeral gathering held more than a week ago. Provincial Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho confirmed that preliminary findings point to the contaminated meal as the likely source of infection.

Authorities have declared a health emergency in the affected region and neighbouring Malir district, with all local hospitals on high alert. The Rescue 1122 ambulance service has been placed on standby, while district health officers (DHOs) continue to monitor the situation. Malir's DHO, Dr Imdad Channa, said that although the outbreak originated in Jamshoro, hospitals in Dumba Goth and Murad Memon Goth are also treating patients linked to the incident.

The villagers were relying on water from an open underground tank, which is believed to be the primary source of contamination. Samples have been collected and sent for laboratory testing. They explained that gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as "stomach flu", spreads easily through unsafe food and polluted water, leading to symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever, as highlighted by Dawn.

The situation bears a grim resemblance to last year's gastroenteritis cases in Malir, when a similar contamination episode claimed a life and left hundreds ill. The recurrence of such outbreaks highlights Pakistan's inadequate sanitation, poor waste management, and unsafe drinking water infrastructure, problems that continue to endanger vulnerable communities. Public health experts warn that without sustainable clean water solutions, Karachi's outskirts will remain at constant risk of preventable disease outbreaks, a crisis that demands urgent government accountability and reform, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)

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