A number of people suffer from meningitis in the country every year. Besides, this year, some 250 patients, who were injured during the demonstrations, sought admission in the city hospitals over the past few days. Bullet wounds or lathi charges, openly resorted to by the security forces during the 19 days of the people’s movement, could easily cause meningitis or other serious infections. Since the symptoms of this disease can often be mistaken for flu or a heavy cold, there may be many wounded ones reeling under the infection at home. Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can affect people of any age, but it is most likely to do more harm to children and young adults. Though it is a rare disease in the world , it is not so in Nepal.

It is now for the new government to come to the rescue by providing much-needed state support as, with the onset of the summer, several illnesses like meningitis and encephalitis tend to affect more people than in other seasons. The doctors and health workers are already concerned about the rise of bacterial and viral infections and other water-borne diseases. Year after year, many Nepalis, especially in the rural areas, succumb to curable

illnesses like typhoid, malaria, jaundice and diarrhoea. The government should take care of these problems. Most of the poor people have to do without these basic services and medicines because they cannot afford the cost, nor does the government help them.