THATTA, Jan 4 As many as 362 new cases of hepatitis-C had been reported, most of them from remote coastal areas of the district, and various waterborne diseases were on the rise with over 90 per cent of water supply schemes not functioning, said Pakistan People's Party MPA Humera Alwani on Sunday.

Talking to journalists after visiting different taluka hospitals and health centres, she said that according to assistant district officer of health Dr Arjun Das, 162 new patients of hepatitis had been registered and a new course of vaccination would be initiated on Jan 15.

She said that the hospitals were plagued by unhygienic conditions and mismanagement and urged health officials to immediately take action to create healthy environment for patients.

She said that she had learnt after her visits that patients visiting 83 health facilities of the district were not getting free of charge medicines, food and other basic facilities.

She said that she had met a large number of patients at the Makli Civil Hospital who refuted official claims about supply of free medicines and said they had to buy spurious and substandard medicines from two private medical stores, operating within the premises of the hospital in connivance with health officials.

She said that pathetic conditions at the hospitals bespoke of negligence by authorities concerned and public.