Pakistan faces potential outbreak of gastrointestinal diseases due to infestation of flies: PMA – Press Release

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Garbage dumps are one of the main sources of flies infestation. File photo
Garbage dumps are one of the main sources of flies infestation. File photo
  • Situation becomes grim as sacrificial animals’ offal left unattended.
  • Research suggests a fly can carry one hundred organisms and transmit diseases.
  • PMA advises maintaining cleanliness and dispose of garbage properly.

Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Wednesday has notified the public about the abundance of flies in the country which can potentially cause an outbreak of various diseases.

In an official notification issued on Wednesday, the PMA stated that flies can be a source of spreading diseases, particularly gastrointestinal ones.

According to the notification, the situation has become grim in the urban areas across the country. The condition is especially worrisome in Karachi owing to sewerage water and garbage collected on the roads, as well as the offal of sacrificial animals left on the streets after Eid-ul-Azha — all of which are becoming breeding grounds for the flies.

“PMA is very much concerned over the unhygienic and grimy situation in the country, particularly in urban areas and especially in Karachi, where sewerage water on the streets and roads, heaps of uncollected garbage and remains of sacrificial animals have become breeding places for flies due to which swarms of flies can be seen everywhere in cities covering fruits, vegetables, and all other edibles in the markets,” read the notification.

The PMA maintained that the aforementioned reasons are causing a rapid spread of gastrointestinal infections, while cases of typhoid are also surging.

The notification also cited research that suggests that apart from gastrointestinal diseases, a single fly is also capable of causing eye infections as it carries hundreds of viruses and bacteria.

“According to research, a fly can carry about one hundred organisms (Bacteria and virus) and can transmit the diseases mostly like intestinal infections (such as dysentery, diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera), eye infections such as trachoma and epidemic conjunctivitis,” the notification stated.

The PMA has advised the people to keep their edibles covered, regularly wash their hands with soap before every meal, and avoid eating out in order to stay safe from the threat. It also directs them to maintain cleanliness and dispose of their garbage properly.

Furthermore, pointing out the failure of concerned authorities to carry out fumigation and cleanliness drives near hospitals, markets and garbage dumping sites, the PMA requested the government to dispose of the sacrificial remains and garbage on an urgent basis.

The association also requested the municipal agencies to launch fumigation drives in their respective areas to restrict the outbreak of the diseases.

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