RUKUM /DADELDHURA: The death toll of diarrhoea in Rukum has reached 46 following the death of four persons today.

Gopal KC of Ghetma-8, Chetan Pun of Bhalasa, Bishnu Nath of Gotamkot-5 and Raghubir Sunuwar of Thiwang-3 died of the disease, Rukum District Police Office said.

Patients suffering from the disease said that they were deprived of proper treatment and medicines. However, the government bodies state that there are sufficient health workers and medicines in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, two more persons died of diarrhoea in Dailekh today. Man Bahadur Shahi (60) of Lakandra-9 and Kaushila Upadhyay (45) of Bhairikalikathum-4 died of the disease, Dailekh District Police Office said.

Meanwhile, 14 persons have died of the disease in the Far-Western Region within the past five days. According to the police, seven persons died in Achham alone.

Dr Khakendra Bhandari, epidemic expert at the Regional Health Directorate of the Far-West said that over 4,000 persons are suffering from the disease in the region for the past three weeks.

Dr Purusottam Sedain at Achham District Public Health Office said that the disease has spread to 25 VDCs. “Over 1,500 patients are suffering from the disease in Achham district,” he informed. The diarrhoea epidemic that has spread in Dadeldhura district for the past five days claimed one more life in today morning, taking the death toll to six.

The death occurs even as Dr Subodh Mishra, acting director, Regional Health Directorate of the Far-Western, claimed the disease was brought under control in Dadeldhura district.

The deceased is a 56-year-old woman Magani Luhar of Bhageshwor VDC-1, according DSP Chakra Bahadur Singh. Luhar succumbed to the disease while she was undergoing treatment in Bhageshwor health post.

As the number of diarrhoea patients is increasing in the past few days, a surplus team of heath workers have been sent with medicines to Belapur and other areas today, according to Dr Prakash Chhetri of the District Hospital.

“There are more than 400 diarrhoea patients in the VDCs like Ajayamaru, Bhageshwor, Gankhet, Jogbudha, Shirla, Alital and Bagarkot,” said Dr Chhetri.

Meanwhile, the diarrhea that has spread in almost two dozen VDCs of Baitadi district for the past two weeks has not yet come under control. According to Dr Surya Prasad Bhusal of Baitadi District Hospital, teams of health workers are working in those VDCs.

Due to the pandemic, nine persons have died in Baitadi while over 700 patients are suffering.

Maoist to send teams to west

Kathmandu: Amid reports that say health volunteers have begun returning from the diarrhoea affected districts, the first meeting of ‘integrated public health campaign’ of UCPN-Maoist today decided to send ten separate teams led by members of the Constituent Assembly

According to Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, convener of the campaign they were sending such teams to Jajarkot, Rukum, Dolpa, Dailekh, Kalikot and Surkhet in the first phase.

The teams will include health workers and volunteers besides the CA members, stated a release issued here. The central committee meeting of the party had decided to form the campaign in the leadership of former health minister and standing committee member Pokhrel. The meeting also decided to send teams to other affected districts in the second phase. —HNS