JAJARKOT/DADELDHURA: Despite the government’s repeated assurances that the diarrhoeal outbreak was under control, four persons lost their lives in Jajarkot and Baitadi on Saturday.

Of them, three succumbed to diarrhoea in Jajarkot. Prithvi Bahadur Mahatara (60) of Nayakbada VDC-6, Birjit BK (45) of Khagenkot VDC-8 and Karna Bahadur Budha (45) of Archhani VDC-2 fell prey to the epidemic. With this, the death toll has reached 185 in Jajarkot.

Jajarkot District Administration Office claimed that three helicopters dropped the medicines in the affected areas today. The choppers had taken off with the medicines from Rukum’s Chaurjahari and Khalanga.

Jajarkot CDO Resham Bahadur Pandey said 14 mules were also used for dispatching medicines. The copters were used to drop the medicines for the locals of the worst-hit VDCs of Gark-hakot, Dalli and Majhkot.

State Minister for Health and Population Khadka Bahadur Basyal inspected Kh-alanga, Garkhakot and Dalli VDCs today. According to CDO Pandey, the minister had also brought in three quintals of medicines for each of the Garkhakot and Dalli residents.

The health minister urged all to do their level best at the local levels.

Meanwhile, one more person fell prey to the diarrhoea outbreak in Baitadi district today morning, taking the toll to nine in the district. As many as 700 persons in various villages have been taken ill.

The deceased is Kali Dhami of Dhungan VDC, according to District Administration Office, Baitadi.

District Public Health Office says residents in 18 VDCs, including Shivalinga, Sarmali, Pancheshwor, Thalkanda, Dhungan and Gajari, are still suffering from the disease for lack of timely medication.

Dr Surya Prasad Bhusal of District Hospital informed that the numbers of diarrhoea patients coming to the hospital was ever increasing. He also claimed to have sent health workers with medicines to the affected VDCs.

In Dadeldhura, the disease, which was gradually waning, has again gripped residents of Belapur VDC. Three persons have already lost their lives to the epidemic in the VDC. Dr Prakash Chhetri said a team of health workers with necessary medicines was dispatched to the village to help out the village based health workers to contain the outbreak.

Several district based organisations working in the field of sanitation and health services have also joined hands in attempts to check the disease. The continuous rain and short supply of medicines have affected the efforts. The supply of medicines to the affected VDCs, which had been halted for five days, also resumed today.