Meaty Eid: 900 go to hospitals for food poisoning

Islamabad :Over 900 people reached Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic, the capital city's major government hospitals, during three Eidul Azha holidays, for food poisoning.

Of these cases, PIMS received around 500 and Polyclinic over 400. Dr Wasim Khawaja spokesman for PIMS said most of patients suffering from food poisoning, caused either by overeating or consumption of unhealthy food, had been discharged, while the rest would be sent home soon after treatment.

He said the people affected by unhygienic conditions caused by the open disposal of animal waste also reached hospital for recovery. Dr Sharif Astori of Polyclinic said the hospital's emergency ward received around 3,000 patients during Eid days and around 400 of them complained about food poisoning.

He said the patients filled bellies with meat during the three days festival and thus, becoming victim of gastric irritation, high level of cholesterol, acidity, abdominal contraction, nausea, diarrhoea, heart problems and constipation.

The physician said the people would have enjoyed the festival to the full had they eaten low-fat dishes. He suggested the use of oral saline for diarrhoea and antacid for gastric problems but said doctors should be consulted in case the problems got severe.