Dhangadi, July 12 With the beginning of monsoon, patients suffering from various seasonal diseases have increased in the far-west region. The influx of patients suffering from viral fever, common cold and typhoid, among other seasonal diseases has increased in various health facilities of the region since some days. Far-west Regaional Health Director Sushil Nath Pyakurel said the number of patients with viral fever and typhoid from nine districts of the region had increased in different health facilities with the onset of monsoon. “Most of the patients who reached the health facility for treatment were suffering from viral fever and typhoid according to their blood samples and health check-up,” he informed. Pyakurel said the number of patients had increased in almost all district hospitals and private health facilities, including Seti Zonal Hospital. He said health workers were having a tough time handling the increasing number of patients. “Manpower crunch has hit the delivery of health services,” he added. Pyakurel said his office had directed health workers to provide better service to patients. Patients suffering from seasonal diseases have increased threefold compared to normal times. Health Assistant at the District Health Office, Doti, Tej Bikram Shahi, said the patients were at the receiving end due to lack of blood test facility in almost all health facilities of the region. Health workers said residents of the region’s far flung areas were struggling with communicable seasonal ailments such as common cold, headache, joint pain and fever, among others. They added that an entire family would suffer from seasonal diseases if one family member got infected. They said children and elderly people were mostly suffering from viral fever. Health Assistant at Dipayal-based Sujung Hospital Arjun Balayar said symptoms of typhoid were seen in almost all the patients, who reached the health facility for treatment. Balayar said the viral fever might have spread due to consumption of polluted water in the rainy season. In charge of Doti Tikha Health Post Tej Bahadur Khadka said health facilities in the region’s far-flung areas were running out of medicine for fever, typhoid and diarrhoea at a time when increasing number of patients are visiting the health facilities.