Islamabad: Pakistan’s public health authorities have sounded the alarm over a looming wave of epidemics in flood-hit districts, warning that stagnant water, contaminated supplies and overcrowded relief camps are creating the perfect storm for disease outbreaks.
Officials from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Islamabad have issued urgent advisories to prevent what they described as “an epidemic within a disaster” following the World Health Organization’s situation report highlighting a sharp surge in dengue and malaria cases.
The NIH has cautioned that the vast pools of stagnant floodwater are acting as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, fueling a dangerous rise in vector-borne diseases. Already, suspected dengue cases have jumped by over 40 percent and malaria by more than a quarter in recent weeks, with field surveillance teams bracing for further escalation.
“With Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes thriving in these conditions, the risk of widespread dengue, chikungunya and malaria outbreaks is extremely high. Communities must adopt preventive measures and health authorities are intensifying larviciding and fumigation operations,” an NIH spokesperson said.
Equally concerning is the rapid spread of food and waterborne diseases due to contamination of drinking water supplies across Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Health officials reported confirmed outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea in Khuzdar and Shaheed Benazirabad, with rising cases of cholera, typhoid and gastroenteritis expected as relief camps struggle with sanitation.
“Floodwaters have seeped into wells and pipelines, leaving thousands exposed to unsafe water. Without safe drinking supplies, we fear a spike in diarrheal diseases which can turn fatal for children and the elderly,” a senior official in the Ministry of Health said.
The NIH has also warned that vaccine-preventable diseases could re-emerge as disrupted health services and damaged facilities delay immunization drives. With more than a hundred health facilities either destroyed or partially damaged, routine vaccinations for measles, polio and other preventable illnesses have been severely compromised. Officials fear that displaced children in camps are at heightened risk.
“Every effort is being made to maintain vaccination campaigns despite logistical hurdles. Parents must ensure their children are vaccinated even in these difficult times to avert secondary epidemics,” the NIH emphasized.
Adding to the burden, doctors in flood-affected provinces are witnessing an unusual surge in viral conjunctivitis and skin infections, fueled by crowded shelters, poor hygiene and exposure to contaminated water. Outpatient records show rising cases of eye redness, irritation and rashes, while scabies and fungal infections are also being widely reported.
Health officials described these as the early indicators of a worsening public health crisis unless urgent action is taken to restore clean water access and strengthen camp hygiene.
The Ministry of Health has appealed to the public to strictly follow safety advisories posted on the NIH website and circulated through district health offices. These include boiling or chlorinating water before use, using insect repellents and bed nets, reporting fever and rashes promptly to local health workers, and ensuring that children’s immunization schedules are not missed.
“The fight against disease is now as critical as the rescue effort. Communities must be vigilant to protect themselves and others from the hidden threat of outbreaks,” a ministry spokesperson said.
WHO has already warned that the country’s fragile health system, battered by floods, is at risk of being overwhelmed. UNICEF and other partners have rushed medical supplies and therapeutic food to bolster the response, but the government concedes that the challenge is immense.
“This is a national emergency that requires coordinated action. Every level of the health system is on high alert to prevent avoidable deaths in the coming weeks,” officials at NHSR&C concluded.
Ends