Bangladesh floods heighten dengue, cholera risks, says IFRC
Sonakshi Dey, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Bangladesh programme director, told CNA’s Asia First that aid efforts in the country are being hampered by multiple challenges.
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COX’S BAZAR: Days of heavy rainfall have triggered severe flooding and landslides in Bangladesh, killing at least 50 people and stranding more than 1 million.
The disaster has also heightened the risk of public health threats, including waterborne diseases like dengue and cholera, said Sonakshi Dey, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Bangladesh programme director.
With more than 10,700 water and sanitation facilities damaged, restoring access to safe drinking water and delivering essential relief items to those affected remain top priorities, she said.
"This situation is quite grave. The main problem is the access to reach the people, because the geographical topography of the country is also very difficult,” she told CNA’s Asia First on Tuesday (Jul 14).
The floods have compounded an already challenging humanitarian situation.
Since March, Bangladesh has been grappling with a measles outbreak, with nearly 750 confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths.
The IFRC, which has been responding to the outbreak, says its relief efforts are now being stretched even thinner by the floods and other concurrent emergencies.
“We are trying to monitor the different households to see also how they are doing in terms of health because if we can identify (disease cases) quickly, then we can also treat them,” she said.
She added that relief efforts include other agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
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RELIEF EFFORTS HAMPERED
Efforts to deliver aid have been stalled by flooding across seven districts: Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar and Habiganj.
Damaged roads and infrastructure are hampering relief efforts, making it difficult for aid workers to reach hard-hit communities.
In Cox’s Bazar alone, more than 180,000 people have been impacted by the disaster.
The city is sheltering some 152,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled fighting between the Myanmar military and rebel forces, according to non-profit watchdog Human Rights Watch.
The refugees live in makeshift shelters on steep, deforested hillsides, which are especially vulnerable during the monsoon season.
“A lot of temporary shelters got damaged in the camps, so our volunteers are engaged in moving those people to safer shelters, providing them with shelter tools … water and food.”
CLIMATE RISKS GROW
Bangladesh is no stranger to seasonal monsoon rains, with severe rainfall regularly causing floods, river erosions and landslides. But scientists say climate change is making rainfall more intense, increasing the scale and severity of such disasters.
The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, supported by the IFRC, has deployed local volunteers across affected districts in the country to carry out search-and-rescue operations and distribute relief supplies, Dey said.
On the ground, conditions remain challenging. With power outages and flood waters submerging kitchens and living spaces, many residents say they are unable to cook and are relying on dry food such as flattened rice or biscuits.
She added that the IFRC is seeking to access its Disaster Response Emergency Fund for Bangladesh, in addition to drawing on existing rapid response funding.
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