After the earthquakes affecting 10 provinces, World Doctors called for increased health measures to prevent post-earthquake infectious diseases and epidemics. “Crowded living conditions increase the risk of spreading highly contagious diseases such as scabies, measles, tetanus and diarrhea,” said Hakan Bilgin, President of the World Doctors Association.

The number of people who lost their lives in the earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 that shook Turkey deeply increased to 44 thousand 218. In the regions affected by the earthquake, the secondary danger is infectious diseases and epidemics. Hakan Bilgin stated that the health and hygiene measures initiated were insufficient and said, “Experts say that infectious diseases are on the rise and if serious measures are not taken, they may cause epidemics.”

Seeing Rabies And Scabies Cases Cause Epidemic Concern

The total number of people affected by the earthquake is expected to increase significantly. In his statement, Hakan Bilgin said that the occurrence of rabies and scabies cases in the earthquake region caused the epidemic concern, “Especially the need for toilets, bathrooms, clean water and crowded living conditions in tents increase the risk of spreading highly contagious diseases such as scabies, measles, tetanus and diarrhea. Asbestos and dust from the debris are inhaled by everyone in the area and pose a serious threat to respiratory diseases. However, experts draw attention to the rabies epidemic in the earthquake-affected areas. This type of infectious diseases can occur in a period that can last from the first 4 days to 4 weeks following the earthquake, and if effective measures are not taken immediately, they can turn into epidemics very quickly.

The Problem of Access to Clean Water Needs to be Solved Immediately

The Ministry of Health announced that mobile pharmacies were operational in the earthquake-affected areas against the risk of epidemics, and critical vaccines, including tetanus and rabies, were sent. The World Health Organization, on the other hand, announced on February 14 that it was on the side of the Ministry of Health by sending 22 emergency medical teams to support local teams. Hakan Bilgin said, “As Doctors of the World, we welcome the measures taken and call on public authorities and the international community to intensify these measures – especially on vaccines and the supply of necessary medicines – given the total area of the earthquake-affected area and the rate of spread of epidemics.” Pointing out that the sanitary disinfection measures should be taken with the utmost care, more toilets and showers should be provided to the region, and the problem of access to clean water should be resolved as soon as possible, Bilgin said, “It is essential to distribute protective masks and medicines for the treatment of diseases such as scabies to all tents in the region. Doctors of the World also urges the international community and NGOs to increase the capacity of these measures by providing financial support and medical/health products.”