MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Semsûr (Adıyaman)- Two major earthquakes that hit Maraş have largely destroyed and damaged thousands of houses and buildings in Semsûr. Some people have stayed in tents while some people have stayed in shelters they built because they cannot find tents to stay. The people still do not have access to clean water and sufficient food.

Due to unhygienic conditions in the tents and lack of clean water, people staying in tents suffer from contagious scabies and lice infestation and urinary tract infections. The doctors working in the city told us that three people were diagnosed with contagious scabies. They also drew attention to the lack of medicine.

Gülşilan Ormanlı is a volunteer health worker working in the city for six days in order to be in solidarity with the earthquake survivors. She also underlined that people have no access to clean water and hygienic conditions in the city. She thinks an outbreak of infectious diseases can start in Semsur at any moment.

‘The number of people suffering from contagious scabies increases’

“People cannot have a shower and they live in crowded tents. Living conditions cause an increase in contagious scabies and lice infestation. We observe that many people are infested with lice in tents. We also observe the cases of scabies in tents,” Gülşilan Ormanlı said, “There is not enough medicine to treat people. Due to lack of hygiene and lack of clean water, people cannot be treated. In the city, people need clean water and hygienic conditions.”

‘Many women suffer from urinary tract infections’

“Many women suffer from urinary tract infections due to the lack of clean underwear and clean toilets,” Gülşilan Ormanlı said, “Especially women need underwear and hygiene products. Women face serious difficulties in accessing them; they cannot even access menstrual pads. Measures must be taken to prevent the spread of urinary tract infections. If no measure is taken, earthquake survivors will face more infectious diseases.”