HEALTH HAZARD OF ARSENICOSIS PATIENTS IN ARSENIC PRONE AREAS OF BANGLADESH: A CASE STUDY ON GOPALGONJ SADAR UPAZILLA, GOPALGONJ.

 Approximately 50 million people of Bangladesh are currently exposed to high level of arsenic in drinking water derived from ground water through millions of hand pump tube-wells.  Adverse health effects resulting from drinking arsenic contaminated water ranging from skin depigmentation, top several types of skin cancer as well as different internal cancer (WHO, 2000), an increase in the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension & respiratory illness. INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY  To identify the perception about arsenicosis disease among the rural Bangladeshis.  To identify the traditional practices they follow to manage the disease.  To find out the loopholes of existing medical facilities for arsenicosis patients in rural area.

MATERIALS AND METHODOS Location Map of the Study Area

MATERIALS AND METHODOS Sampling Area:  4 Unions (Jalalabad,Suktail, Karpara and Paikkandi) Sample Size  51 (Out of 116 patients) Sampling Technique  Random Sampling

Primary Data Collection  Questionnaire Survey  Key Informants’ Interview Secondary Data Collection  Maps and geological information: Union Parishad Office, Upazilla office.  Population Census: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS,2001)  Journals, papers and articles relevant to the study: NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, Central library, Khulna University; Seminar library, ES discipline, Khulna University; daily newspaper; internets; and Banglapedia.  Diseases information: Union Parishad Office, Upazilla health complex, Various health centre. MATERIALS AND METHODOS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Age and gender distribution of the respondents Source: Field Survey,

Sources of Drinking Water Note: ST- Shallow Tube-well, DT- Deep Tube-well, PSF- Pond Sand Filter RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Location of drinking water source of respondents RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Knowledge on the arsenic level in drinking water source of the respondent The name of different variables that firstly identify arsenicosis case Unions Govt. HW NGO HW MBBS Doctor Relati ves Grand Total Jalalabad Suktail Karpara Paikkandi Total Percent % RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Information about different types of physicians consulted by arsenicosis patients RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Distribution of arsenicosis symptoms of the respondents RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Medicines available for the treatment of arsenicosis patients RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Affordable status for arsenicosis treatment RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

Satisfaction with existing healthcare facilities Recommendations of the respondents about the current medical facilities RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Source: Field Survey,

 54.67% patients face black and white spot in the body. Rest of the patients face thickening and roughness in the palm & sole, body ache, chronic cough, weakness, anemia and many other diseases.  The supply of medicine for the treatment of arsenicosis patients is not sufficient in study area.  The people of the study area expressed that the government should be more cooperative to save them from arsenic burden. CONCLUSION