THE diarrhoea situation has turned critical in the flood affected areas. The number of patients is rising at an alarming rate and about 9,800 new patients, mostly children, sought treatment in hospitals in the last few days.

The situation could not be kept under control due to a number of factors. First, there is an acute crisis of drinking water in the affected areas. This has created an opportunity for the unscrupulous elements to thrive on the miseries of people. They are selling contaminated water in bottles along with spurious saline packets. Pure water has become so scarce that a small bottle is selling at Tk 25. That is not something that poor, flood-stricken people can afford. The authorities concerned have apparently failed to check the activities of the dishonest traders banking on the sufferings of people. But there is no way to check the spread of waterborne diseases until supply of pure water is ensured.

Then the hospitals appear to have been caught unawares by the sudden rush of diarrhoea patients. Some of the hospitals are trying to cope with the situation through accommodating patients well beyond their capacity. But patients cannot get the service they need under such circumstances.

Obviously, the best thing we can do is to prevent diarrhoea. And the only way to achieve that goal is make sure that people don't drink polluted water. Some organisations have come forward with their water purification plants to help the affected people. However, the need of the hour is to mobilise all our resources to stand up to the challenge. All the water purification plants at the disposal of government and non-government agencies must be pressed into service for the affected areas as a matter of top priority.

The government must also look into the reports that the medical teams working in the affected areas have been facing shortage of medicines and ORS. It is a matter of great regret that diarrhoea has already claimed at least 56 lives and thousands of patients have been admitted to hospital. A comprehensive action plan must be in place to ensure a steady supply of pure water, ORS and medicines.