Indore health crisis escalates as a diarrhoea outbreak in the Bhagirathpura region, triggered by sewage-contaminated drinking water, has led to numerous hospitalisations and several deaths

Residents of Indore’s Bhagirathpura region continue to face a mounting health crisis as new cases of diarrhoea emerge. At least 38 new cases were reported at the Bhagirathpura primary health centre. The outbreak, triggered by sewage contamination in the local drinking water supply, has already claimed seven lives--including a five-month-old-- and shows no signs of abating.

As many as 110 people are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals following the tragedy. According to health officials, 15 people are in ICUs.

Also read | Indore water contamination tragedy: Antibiotic-resistant E. coli a major public health threat

A survey was conducted by the local health department in the households using the Kobo tool in the affected areas to assess the situation and ensure the availability of chlorinated drinking water to residents.

It is an open-source platform for designing, deploying, and managing mobile data collection, widely used by humanitarians, researchers, and development organisations to gather information in challenging field environments.

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The tool enables real-time assessment of field conditions.

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More than 50 per cent of groundwater samples collected from the borewells in the Bhagirathpura region have found the presence of E.coli. Faecal coliform contamination was found in 35 out of the 69 samples collected from the borewells.

* Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, Chief Medical and Health Officer, said that around 200 teams were deployed in the area.

* Also, 10 ORS packets, 30 zinc tablets and a Clean Water dropper at each household was distributed.

* Residents were advised to add eight to 10 drops of the clean water solution to 10 litres of water and use it after one hour for purification.

* Counselling and toll-free helpline facilities were provided by the health teams. Each team comprised a doctor, a nursing officer, a community health officer, an ASHA worker and an ANM.

* According to Hasani, the main objective was to ensure access to chlorinated, germ-free drinking water in the affected area.

* Five ambulances were stationed in the region for any immediate assistance. Doctors are also deployed round the clock.

* Free treatment, tests and medicines are also being provided to patients visiting private hospitals, the statement said.

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