Dreadful infectious disease outbreaks threaten flood-ravaged pakistan: short communication

Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023 May 3;85(6):3237-3238. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000000754. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Abstract

A rise in the incidence of water-borne, communicable illnesses, and viral outbreaks in Pakistan follows periods of heavy rainfall. Due to climate change, floods and droughts have had devastating effects on human health by facilitating the spread of infectious illnesses including cholera, malaria, typhoid, dengue fever, and viral hepatitis A. Food instability, starvation, malnutrition, and a lack of potable water are only some of the indirect effects of flooding on health. Recently, one of the worst floods in history devastated Pakistan, affecting more than 333 million people along with a significant portion of the nation submerged. Malaria, dengue fever, and other ailments are on the rise in Pakistan, threatening to overwhelm the country's healthcare infrastructure. There is an urgent need for preventative measures in Pakistan to cope with dreadful outbreaks.

Keywords: Child health; community health; flood; infectious diseases; public health.