DAILEKH: One more person died of diarrhoea in Dailekh today. The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old Jayaprakash Kafle, a resident of Ganma in Paganath VDC, the District Public Health Office said. Locals said that Kafle had died as there was no one to take him to a health post.

Meanwhile, paramedics in Bajhang district said they were in short supply of medicines even after a month following the spread of the disease in the area. People of the district are compelled to buy medicines at exorbitant rates from medicals due to the shortage.

According to an assistant worker of Matela sub-health post of the district, Siddaraj Bhandari, medicines were yet to be supplied in the area even after they had informed the district agencies about the problem. The health posts of Matela VDC records a number of five to seven diarrhoea patients everyday, he added.

Similarly, Bal Bahadur Rokaya, a rural health worker of Koiralakot, said that Thalara area was also hit by lack of medicines. Due to the shortage of medicines in the health posts in the district, the patients have been compelled to undergo treatment in medicals. It is reported that 10 VDCs of Bajhang have been affected with the disease while eight villagers have died so far.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the district natural disaster committee under the coordination of CDO Keshabraj Acharya was held to investigate if the disease spread in Rolpa was due to the shortage of food grains. It has been suspected that the disease spread in the district was due to the low quality of the imported food grains.

Health minister in Jajarkot

JAJARKOT: A team led by Health Minister Umakanta Chaudhari arrived here on Saturday to take stock of the situation even as the diarrhoeal toll has been rising. The team brought in 18 quintals of medicine to be despatched to the affected villages.

The team comprises NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel, UML CA member Ramnath Dhakal and UCPN-M CA member Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma.

They held an all-party meeting today to discuss the latest situation."Altogether 5,000 toilets will be constructed in the affected areas while each family will be provided 10 kg of rice and one kg of salt," Minister Chaudhari told at a programme organised here.

The epidemic has claimed 196 lives in Jajarkot while around 22,000 people are undergoing treatment.

Majkot, Pajaru, Sakla and Dhime VDCs are still under the grip of the disease.

Outbreak in Tanahun district

TANAHUN: The number of diarrhoea patients has increased in Damauli Hospital in the district headquarters recently. Thirty-five patients received treatment in OPD while three were admitted in the emergency ward yesterday, Dr Ajaya Dhakal said.

The hospital is said to be on high alert after the disease broke out in the district.The patients have been suggested to drink boiled water and to pay attention to hygiene.

The patients have been coming from Jamune, Kahu, Shivapur, Ghansikuwa and Keshabtar VDCs and Byas municipality.

The Tharpu health post receives three to four diarrhoea patients on a daily basis, according to assistant nurse Yashoda Pokharel.

Besides, on an average, 300 cases of viral fever, typhoid, respiratory problems, skin ailments and influenza are reported daily in the hospital.