Over 100 sick with ‘waterborne diseases’ at DU’s Kuwait Friendship Hall

BD Digest correspondent:
More than a hundred students have fallen ill in three days at the Kuwait Friendship Hall of Dhaka University (DU). Students and doctors believe the illness is a water-borne disease.

Tanvir Ali, chief medical officer of the university’s ‘Shaheed Mohammad Dr. Mortaza Medical Center’, announced the establishment of a medical camp due to the increase in the number of patients.

He said that at least 60 students came to the university’s medical center for treatment last Thursday and Friday. They were treated for diarrhea and vomiting.

He said, “We have two doctors working there. Including today, more than a hundred students have fallen ill.”

When asked about the cause of the illness, he said, “Vomiting and diarrhea problems are usually caused by water and food. The students believe they have fallen ill with a water-borne disease.”

Juena Alam Moon, a student at Kuwait Friendship Hall, said, “After cleaning the water tank, the water smells like bleach. When I wash my face or gargle with water, the smell of bleach makes me vomit. The same problem occurs with bath water.”

When they come to clean the washroom, they spread bleach and leave, not washing it off with water and leaving it clean.

He said, “Bleaching is used to disinfect, but if bleach is not cleaned properly, it can cause more problems in our stomach.”

Sajreen Amin, a student at Kuwait Friendship Hall, said, “I fell ill yesterday. However, the problem started 4 to 5 days ago, and it has increased in the last two days.”

Both the food and water in the canteen are to blame. The cooking environment in the canteen is dirty. These are always talked about, but the parliament does not take any action.

I have heard from some people that many of those who do not eat in the canteen are also sick. That means it is because of the water; I also got sick from the water. Now everyone is buying water and drinking it.

Hall principal Mahbuba Sultana said, “We have taken all necessary steps. The water tanks have already been cleaned by professionals. Now the number of sick students is decreasing. The situation is under our control.”