Water-borne diseases on rise

15% Water Cut In City But...

Mumbai: With 15% water cuts, the city has more than just scarcity of the precious liquid to worry about. Doctors across the city are seeing a surge in water-borne diseases, which they fear is a fallout of dependence on tanker water.
    More and more people are seeking tanker water and this is leading to a rise in cases of typhoid, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis, said a doctor. “We are seeing around six patients of typhoid and around 20 of diarrhoea in a week. One gets these diseases from contaminated water. And most patients admit to consuming water from tankers since there is a water shortage,’’ said Dr Hemant Thacker, a general practitioner in Jaslok Hospital.
    According to Dr Sonu Udani, consultant from Hinduja Hospital, the surge in water-borne diseases is not a sudden phenomenon. “For quite some months, we are seeing typhoid patients regularly. But diarrhoea has been quite a problem. We see almost 3-4 patients of diarrhoea every day. In some cases, the patients even have to be admitted,’’ said Dr Udani, adding that the patients are not just from lower economic classes but also well-to-do ones who insist that they only drink boiled water.
    More than 50% the patients struck by water-borne diseases are children. “We see 4-5 cases of typhoid in a week while more than 15 of those who suffer from diarrhoea. With children, the problem is that they do not pay attention to hygiene while eating. Many children eat ‘golas’ outside their school, unaware of the source of water used for the ice,’’ said Dr Indu Khosla, an Andheribased paediatrician.
    Incidentally, civic-run hospitals in the city have registered 363 cases of gastroenteritis this month, while there have been 56 complaints of water contamination from November 1 till last week. “It is because of the old pipelines that the water gets contaminated in some areas. Whenever we do get a complaint of contamination, we go and fix the problem at once,’’ said a civic official from the hydraulic department.