Typhoid and fever cases up in Ramechhap

Ramechhap, August 24

Hundreds of typhoid and fever cases have been reported due to contaminated water in Ramechhap Municipality of Ramechhap district.

Typhoid and fever have become epidemic in Babiyakharka, Salle and Dumrikharka, among other places of the municipality.

After patients suffering from typhoid and fever started flocking to District Hospital for check up, drinking water from the area was examined. The water tests showed that the diseases had broken out due to polluted water.

The District Health Office confirmed that bacteria were found in the municipality’s drinking water. These days, over 20 patients suffering from typhoid and fever visit the district hospital for treatment on a daily basis.

Dr Nabin Magar, at the district hospital, said mostly typhoid and fever patients from villages, including Dumrikharka and Babiyakharka, were visiting the health facility.

Some patients were referred to Kathmandu for further treatment after they could not be treated at the district hospital, said Dr Magar.

Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office and Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumers’ Federation had jointly examined the water from different places of the municipality. The federation said most of the water sources were contaminated.

Earlier, jaundice had broken out at Dumrikharka and its adjoining areas some months back. Ramesh Shahi, a local of Dumrikharka, said his village was witnessing frequent epidemics of different diseases.

Coliform bacteria detected in drinking water projects

Ramechhap, August 24

Report has shown that most of the drinking water projects of Ramechhap are contaminated with faecal coliform.

A water test carried out by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumers’ Federation Ramechhap district chapter showed the presence of faecal coliform in most of the drinking water projects of the district.

The federation had conducted tests on water samples of 53 projects with the support of UNICEF.

Ramechhap district Chairman of the consumers’ federation Lekh Bahadur Karki, said of the total samples, coliform was detected in the water of more than 95 per cent projects. “Other detrimental bacteria were also detected during the tests,” Karki added.

The federation tested the water from as many as 70 drinking water projects.

The federation is preparing to submit the detailed report of the tests to the Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office and District Public Health Office, Ramechhap, after the tests are over.

Following the same, the federation has suggested that locals drink boiled and filtered water.

The water was tested for iron, ammonia, coliform, chloride and phosphorous, among other components.