2014-08-17
NEPALGUNJ/DIPAYAL: Flood and landslide victims in Bardiya, Banke and Kailali have begun contracting diseases and health workers are worried that if appropriate measures are not taken on time, it may lead to outbreak of cholera.
Bardiya flood victims are suffering from cholera, fever, diarrhoea and common cold. Victims at Bardiya headquarters and health posts have received treatment, but those in the far-flung areas have not been so lucky.
Achyut Lamichhane, Chief at Bardiya District Public Health Office , said his office had accelerated the treatment of flood victims at temporary camps. Lamichhane warned of cholera outbreak if appropriate measures were not taken pronto. Those camping on riverbanks face the gravest threat, due to the dead livestock. “If the victims are not relocated at safer place, epidemic might break out any time,” Lamichhane warned.
Health workers are yet to reach some of the flood-hit areas. Flood victims at Neulapur, Bagnaha and many other rural areas are yet to receive relief. Gopiram Tharu of Bagnaha said rescue workers were yet to reach them, as the floods had damaged the roads.
Majority of 19,000 victims in Bardiya are yet to get food and other relief though a helicopter dropped some packets of noodles and beaten rice this noon, said Tharu. “Many people are suffering from diarrhoea and we don’t have safe drinking water. We feel as if there is no government in our country,” Tharu added.
According to focal person Ram Bahadur Malla at Banke District Public Health Office, victims at Holiya, Betahani and Udharapur are complaining of diarrhoea, fever and eye pain. Malla said they had treated 200 victims at Holiya and Betahani.
Home Minister Bamdev Gautam, who came to inspect flood-hit districts today, had directed the government agencies to set up temporary camps and deploy doctors and nurses from Bheri Zonal Hospital. Gautam directed authorities to provide water, medicines, shelter and toilets at the earliest to the flood victims.
Health workers said cholera, diarrhoea and common cold have afflicted flood victims in Kailali as well. Elderly and children are the worst hit.
Health Director Parsuram Shrestha at far-western regional health directorate said his office had kept all the health workers on standby to check outbreak of an epidemic. Shrestha said medicine and health workers had been dispatched to the flood-hit areas. “We have asked all the health workers of 12 VDCs not to go on leave,” Shrestha said.
Source: The Himalayan Times
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