At the end of day the street vendors often leave their unsold food to rot. This is a contributory factor to the increased incidence of cholera and other diseases associated with unsanitary conditions. Many people in the slums suffer from diseases associated with poverty. Dysentery is common, as there is limited access to clean water. In the absence of electricity the only real source of energy is from wood and charcoal that must be purchased or collected from rural and forested areas outside the town.
Crime is a continual problems in shanty towns.
The high rates of poverty and unemployment, together with deteriorating living conditions, drive people to engage in criminal activities. The incidence of pickpocketing and violent crime and prostitution is high.