Contaminated water, damaged sanitation systems could trigger wider public health emergency, health experts warn

Flood-hit districts in Bangladesh's Chattogram division are facing a looming public health crisis as receding waters expose widespread damage to sanitation infrastructure and create an acute shortage of safe drinking water. Hospitals across Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, and the three hill districts are inundated with patients suffering from diarrhea, skin infections, and snakebites.

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We treated over 300 patients, most with diarrhoea. As clean water shortages deepen, cholera and skin infections are likely to rise.

The devastating floods, which began on July 8, submerged large areas for seven consecutive days, resulting in at least 23 drowning deaths. Public health experts are now sounding the alarm, warning that a secondary disaster could unfold if the critical drinking water situation is not rapidly resolved. Satkania, one of the worst-affected areas, saw over 300 outpatient visits in just 48 hours, primarily for diarrhea.

"As clean water shortages deepen, cholera and skin infections are likely to rise," stated Dr. Amit Dey, Satkania upazila health officer. In Banshkhali, another severely impacted upazila, over 30 percent of patients are presenting with diarrhea, and villagers report that all local tube wells are contaminated. Dr. Nazma Akhter, Banshkhali health officer, noted that 15 community clinics were destroyed, exacerbating the health challenges, particularly in coastal areas already struggling with freshwater scarcity.

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All tube wells in our village are contaminated.

Health authorities in Cox's Bazar and the hill districts are also on high alert. While landslide injuries and snakebites were prominent during the flood in Bandarban, a subsequent rise in diarrhea and skin diseases is anticipated. Overcrowded shelters have become breeding grounds for scabies and other skin ailments. Across the division, floodwaters damaged 15 community clinics and contaminated approximately 20,000 shallow tube wells.

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We fear a major outbreak once floodwaters recede, especially in coastal areas already facing chronic freshwater scarcity.

Snakebites have emerged as another significant concern, with 126 cases reported across five districts. Although no deaths from snakebites have been recorded, medical teams have distributed anti-venom. The government has deployed 516 medical teams to the affected areas. Officials report that more than 50,000 water purification tablets have been distributed, and adequate stocks of saline and medicine are available. However, the scale of contamination and infrastructure damage poses a substantial risk of widespread disease outbreaks.

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Despite the high number, no deaths have been reported. We distributed 1,100 vials of anti-venom.