Sarlahi, April 17:

Over 75 people of Taiwan Basti at Hariwan VDC-6 in Sarlahi district have been suffering

from kala-azar. The shortage of medicines, equipment and absence of chief of the District Public Health Office (DPHO) have only added to the woes of the affected.

Malaria inspector at the district public health office Ram Bilas Mahato said Taiwan Basti is in the grip of a kala-azar epidemic. Stating that he could not go to the affected area as inspection implements and medicines were in short supply, Mahato said, “The DPHO chief is on home leave. A team will be sent to the area once he returns.”

Health worker Ram Sewak Rai said Manisha Kumari Paswan, 2, Sanjha Paswan, 60, and Marachiya Paswan, a pregnant woman of Taiwan Basti, have been suffering from kala-azar.

Damayanti Kumari Chamar, 3, Krishnandan Paswan, 7, Sanjita Paswan, Sobina Paswan, Kamodiya Paswan, Rambabu Paswan, 30, Ram Sewak Paswan, Krishna Nanadan Paswan, 7, Chankhe Magar, 28, and Santosh Moktan, 10, were among those suffering from kala-azar.

Senior assistant nurse at the Trichandra Hospital said the stock of medicines for kala-azar had run out three weeks ago. Kala-azar patients come every day, but have to go back disappointed.

Umesh Mahato, who returned home after getting his wife treated at the Teku Hospital in Kathmandu, said over 10 patients from Sarlahi have been undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Hariwan VDC secretary Raj Kumar Thapa said most of those afflicted with kala-azar were too poor to afford treatment in a hospital or set up base in Malanagawa.

He said he had repeatedly reminded the health office about this problem, but to no avail.