WHO, Red Cross ring alarm bells against diseases

NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation and the Indian Red Cross Society fear outbreak of water-borne diseases in the tsunami-ravaged pockets of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry.
Red Cross workers estimate that more than a lakh people will have to be inoculated at once against gastrointestinal diseases.
"Bacterial and viral infections have already started spreading from decomposed human bodies and animal carcasses," one of the aid workers said.
Those touring the worst-hit Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu fear that outbreak of water-borne infections like cholera, diarrhoea, and skin diseases is imminent due to contamination of drinking water with sewage water.
WHO officials pointed out that survivors, especially those deprived of proper nutrition, would be vulnerable to pathogens. "This makes early availability of medicare an imperative."
Red Cross officials have highlighted the need for sufficient supply of anti-rabies vaccine. "Dog bites seem to be a common phenomenon among homeless survivors sleeping in the open," said a senior Red Cross official, adding, there were incidents of babies being attacked by hungry canines.
A WHO team, in consultation with the health ministry, is chalking out an immunisation and medication programme for the devastated zones, officials said.
Painkillers, ORS, paracetamols and nimisulides are essential, officials said, adding, vaccines for cholera, typhoid and other communicable diseases are equally in demand.
A Red Cross team said lack of sanitation and clean drinking water are two major problems at all shelter camps.
"In case of inadequate facilites, just one isolated case may be enough to trigger an epidemic."