The Health Affairs in Jeddah has hired specialist teams to monitor the environmental status in areas affected by the recent floods. These teams will conduct a comprehensive survey of water storage tanks in the flood-hit areas to ensure that they are free of germs. They will also evaluate the state of the environment in these areas, Dr. Sami Badawood, Director of Jeddah Health Affairs, said here Monday. Besides these specialist teams, a number of medical teams have also been engaged to conduct medical tests on people living in flood-affected areas, Dr. Badawood added. “Prince Misha'l Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, has asked us to launch three medical teams and mobile clinics in Quwaizah, two mobile clinics and a medical team in Kilo 14, and fourteen mobile clinics in the refugee centers to study the possibility of the outbreak of epidemic diseases,” he said. Badawood said that a preventive plan is also in place to counter a possible outbreak of dengue fever and other diseases that are caused by polluted water. In addition, technicians are being trained to test water samples and to add chlorine to water tanks where necessary. Badawood said the Directorate of Health Affairs, along with the Directorate of Civil Defense, will check on the condition of houses and the health of the residents if and when they return to their damaged houses. He added that residents have been given leaflets to create awareness of the health risks posed by the floods.
