National
Diarrhoea outbreak in Shantinagar ‘subsiding’
The outbreak of diarrhoea in wards 3 and 4 of Shantinagar Rural Municipality in Dang district is subsiding, health officials said on Monday.Durgalal KC
The outbreak of diarrhoea in wards 3 and 4 of Shantinagar Rural Municipality in Dang district is subsiding, health officials said on Monday.
Although Shantinagar Health Post received 323 new diarrhoea patients on Monday, officials said it was still a huge drop in the number of patients compared to the last two days when the facility was heaving with patients.
Hari Pun, the health post chief, said the disease had come under control with most of the patients in remission after receiving treatment.
The outbreak, which was caused by contaminated water source, had affected more than 1,400 people.
The disease had mostly affected the people of Patetakura, Ganari, Gahatol, Adhere, Bhaltol, Khatritol and Chiraghat in Shantinagar-3, and of Ekali, Kajeri and Hirapur in Shantinagar-4.
Meanwhile, the District Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office has urged the people in the two wards to stop using the water from Mailipani Drinking Water Project, the only source of drinking water for 851 families.
The division office is also supplying drinking water in the affected areas from tankers.
Besides, the District Public Health Office is also distributing water purification tablets.
District Public Health Officer Ghana Shyam Pokharel said health workers had been mobilised in the affected areas with water purification tablets after it was found that the water in the two wards was infected with coliform bacteria.
A team from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division is also due to arrive in Shantinagar to collect stool and water samples for laboratory test, Pokharel added.
Medicine shortage in Mugu
MUGU: Health facilities in Mugu are reeling under a shortage of essential medicines. According to the District Hospital, its medicine stock is running out just when the cases of diarrhoea and fever are cropping out in various parts of district. Dr Gyaneshwor Shrestha said the concerned local unit had not allocated sufficient budget to buy medicines. Health facilities in rural areas like Soru, Khatyad and Mugamkarmarong are without essential medicines for weeks now. The government provides 70 types of essential medicines for free of cost from district hospitals, 56 types of medicines from primary health centres and 35 types of medicines from heath posts. But they are not available in Mugu at the moment. (PR)