Mohamed Emin’s house was destroyed more than a week ago in the deadly earthquake that struck the south Turkey – he himself continues to lie dead, covered in dust.

Like countless other victims of the disaster that claimed life to over 41,000 people in Turkey and Syriathe body of the dead Mohammed has not yet been cleaned – due to the lack of drinking water which according to international health organizations is a risk to public health.

“We haven’t been able to wash off after the earthquake”said Emin, a 21-year-old graphic design student, as he carried flu drugs from the clinic of an open stadium used as a shelter for displaced people in the city of Kahramanmaras.

With much of the sanitation infrastructure in the region damaged or rendered inoperable following last week’s earthquakes, Turkish health authorities are faced with the difficult task of trying to ensure that survivors, many of them homeless, do not they will be affected by diseases.

Akin Hatzioglu, a doctor at the clinic, said that 15-30 doctors offer their services to the unitthe only one of its kind in this camp, serving up to 10,000 people during the day.

They offer tetanus shots to residents who request them and distribute packages of personal hygiene items such as shampoo, deodorant, sanitary napkins and wipes, Hatzioglu said.

However, Emin said there are no showers in or near the camp and the stadium’s six toilets are not enough to meet needs.

THE Arif Kiriji, 42, he has taken refuge in the same stage since, digging through the rubble, he managed to get out himself and free his mother from the ruins of their house on the day of the earthquake. He said he had not been able to shower or, like many others in the camp interviewed by Reuters, change his clothes.

In Antakia (Antioch), further south towards the Syrian border, one can see more chemical toilets compared to the first days after the earthquake. However, many residents say they still need more.

Batir Berdiklitsef, the World Health Organization’s representative in Turkey, said the lack of drinking water “increases the risk of water-borne diseases and outbreaks of communicable diseases.”

The WHO is working with local authorities to strengthen surveillance of waterborne diseases, seasonal flu and COVID-19 among the displaced, he said.