BAHAWALPUR – The number of patients, suffering from kidney diseases, is increasing in Bahawalpur district.
According to the report issued by the Kidney Centre of Bahawal Victoria Hospital, more than 100,000 kidney patients have been admitted to the hospital in first ten months of the current year.
While in 2017, a total of 97,000 patients were admitted to the Kidney Centre which is an alarming situation.
The reason behind increase in the number of kidney patients is the unavailability of clean drinking water in the district.
The number of patients, dying due to kidney diseases, is also increasing due to costly procedure of kidney transplant.
Head of Urology Department Dr Shafqat Ali Tabbasum told The Nation that patients from different districts of South Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan came to the Kidney Centre.
"In Bahawalpur and its adjoining areas, underground water level has dropped to more than 100 feet due to which concentration of arsenic in the water has increased.
And if concrete steps are not taken to purify the water, the number of kidney patients may increase further."
It has also been learnt that patients from Bahawalpur admitted to Kidney Centre are on top of the list followed by Multan, from Lodhran (12,720) and Rahim Yar Khan (3,282).
People from all over South Punjab demanded ban on sale of substandard foodstuff, and they also demanded stern action against those involved in counterfeit medicines.