NEW DELHI: Amid the trauma of losing their homes and belongings, families displaced from the Yamuna floodplains are now battling a new ordeal inside temporary relief camps, an acute shortage of medical care and the looming threat of disease.
In the makeshift shelters, inadequate facilities and poor sanitation have left people vulnerable to infections, water-borne illnesses and vector-borne diseases, raising fears of an outbreak.
At one of the largest relief camps in Mayur Vihar, a tent marked as a medical unit stood nearly deserted. A small bag of medicines lay unattended, with no staff in sight. Civil defence volunteers claimed a separate facility had been arranged for healthcare, but residents said little help was available.
“My elderly mother has been sick since last night, but she has not received any help here,” said Sumit Kumar, who moved into the camp with his family two days ago.
Several others shared similar experiences. Raju, a shikanji seller from the Old Iron Bridge, said he had been struggling with a persistent cough for days.
“We came here from the Yamuna floodplain on Tuesday. Some people gave me syrup, but it is not effective. I am not able to sleep at night, and I cannot work. It is becoming difficult to manage our daily needs,” he said.
Apart from inadequate medical support, the camps have little by way of basic sanitation. Toilets are few, forcing many to rely on open defecation, further compounding the risk of contamination.
Health experts have warned that such conditions could quickly spiral into a public health crisis. “The biggest risk is contamination of drinking water with sewage, which can lead to outbreaks of diarrheal diseases such as cholera, typhoid and gastroenteritis. Viral hepatitis A and E are also concerns in such settings,” said Dr Neha Rastogi, consultant for infectious diseases at Fortis Hospital.
She added that stagnant water provides fertile ground for mosquitoes, fuelling a surge in dengue, malaria and chikungunya cases.
Rastogi cautioned that leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread through floodwater contaminated by rodent urine, is another overlooked danger.
“This can cause serious illness involving the kidneys, liver or lungs. Skin and fungal infections are also very common because of prolonged exposure to dirty water. In overcrowded and damp conditions, respiratory infections—including influenza and pneumonia—can spread more easily,” she said.
Dr Tushar Tayal, consultant in internal medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, warned of the possibility of outbreaks in such situations. “In areas with limited access to clean water and healthcare, outbreaks can spread quickly. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immunity are especially vulnerable,” he said.
Tayal stressed the need for immediate preventive measures, including spraying larvicides, distributing chlorine tablets and vaccinating vulnerable populations against typhoid, hepatitis A and tetanus.
Echoing the call for vigilance, Dr Atul Gogia, senior consultant in internal medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, advised residents to minimise exposure.
“If water-logging cannot be prevented, the only way forward is precaution. Wearing full-sleeve clothes, using mosquito repellents and nets, boiling water or ensuring chlorination can significantly reduce the risk of infection,” he said.
For now, though, residents in the relief camps remain caught between survival and uncertainty, bracing themselves for what could be an equally daunting health crisis after the floods.