Polluted water is being supplied to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) since last 15 days while the hospital administration and authorities of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) have completely failed to ensure supply of clean water to Sindh’s largest teaching institution.
Reliable sources at Civil Hospital Karachi told PPI that sewage-mixed contaminated water was being supplied to the hospital since last 15 days, increasing the possibilities of outbreaks of gastro and other waterborne diseases among the patients and medical staff.
They said there was no water treatment plant in the hospital and underground ground water reservoir of the institution had not been cleaned for several months. They said sewerage water had mixed up with main water supply line; therefore, water supplied to OPD services had got contaminated.
They said recent monsoon showers had further aggravated the situation as sewage-mixed water is being supplied in outpatient department, canteen and other departments. They said polluted had increased the possibilities of outbreak of diseases.
The sources said though some small filter had been installed in the water coolers, those were not sufficient. They said patients and hospital staff were using contaminated water. Doctors, paramedical staff and patients were compelled to buy mineral water from medical stores, they added.
The poor patients, who could not afford to purchase mineral water, are compelled to use polluted water being supplied from the tanks. The hospital administration and high-ups of KWSB have failed to ensure supply of clean water to patients and medical staff even in the public sector hospitals. Additional Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital Karachi, Dr Abdul Qadir Siddiqui, was not available for comments.