title: Safe water supply in emergencies and the need for an exit strategy to sustain health gains: lessons learned from the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.
abstract: The bacteriological quality of drinking-water supply of five major urban centres affected by the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan were assessed in three phases: onset of emergency, during emergency response and post-emergency. A total of 1850 samples were randomly collected from the study area during each phase, and faecal coliforms were detected in 100%, 28% and 91% in Battagram, 81%, 22% and 77% in Mansehra, 100%, 27% and 92% in Rawalakot, 100%, 23% and 65% in Bagh and in 30%, 14% and 5% in Muzaffarabad respectively. Faecal contamination was high during the onset ofemergency and post-emergency phases in four out ofthe five surveyed towns. The organization of a timely emergency response intervention depends on the level of preparedness of local water-supply service providers as well as on their institutional capacities. Bacteriological water-quality improvements in emergencies may not be sustained unless complemented by a proper exit strategy.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Office, Islamabad, Pakistan. Maganm@pak.emro.who.int
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magan
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bile
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kazi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gardezi
mesh_terms: D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards