Diarrhoea spreads to all six upazilas in Nilphamari
3000 attacked, 2 killed: Monga aggravates situation, patients say
Our Correspondent, Nilphamari
Two more persons died of dioarrhoea and at least 3000 were attacked as the disease spread to fresh areas in Nilphamari district. The disease is almost endemic in the Sadar, Saidpur and Kishoreganj upazilas. Diarrhoea is also spreading in Jaldhaka, Domar and Dimla uazilas. With the death of Rekha, 40, in Kishoreganj and Chhobidul, 36, in Jaldhaka upazila, the toll from the disease in the district rose to four yesterday. The district health control room however admitted death of two persons from diarrhoea. Sources at the control room said 950 diarrhoea patients took treatment at government hospitals and at field level treatment centres in the district in six days till yesterday. The unions worst affected by diarrhoea are Kundopukur, Charaikhola, Chapra, Chaora, Palashbari and Ramnagar in the sadar upazila; Botlagari, Kashiram Belpukur, Kamarpukur and Saidpur municipality in Saidpur upazila. This correspondent during a visit to the areas found at least one member of a family is attacked with diarrhoea. The disease is spreading in Nitai, Magura, Bahagli and Kishoreganj unions in Kishoreganj upazila. Sources at Civil Surgeon's office said a 'Rapid Response Team' has been formed with Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Majid as its head to combat the diarrhoea situation in the district. It has three other members. This team will visit diarrhoea affected villages. Special teams have also been formed in each upazila. This correspondent during a visit to Nilphamari Sadar Hospital yesterday saw 37 patients in the 10-bed diarrhoea ward. Patients were lying on the floor, corridor and even at the entrance of the ward. One patient was seen taking treatment on a rickshaw van in front of the ward. Most of the patients this correspondent talked to said they were attacked with the disease after eating uneatable things due to food crisis. There is also a crisis of drinking water because of flood, they said. Awami League leader Asaduzzaman Noor, a lawmaker from the Sadar constituency, visited the diarrhoea ward on Tuesday. Talking to newsmen, he alleged that the government completely failed to control spread of diarrhoea in the district. The disease is spreading as people are eating uneatable things as they do not have any work due to 'monga' (a pre-harvest lean period when there is no work in fields). The situation could be better had the government supplied food to the areas adequately, he said. Civil Surgeon In-charge Dr Abdul Majid told this correspondent that diarrhoea situation was serious in the Sadar, Saidpur and Kishoreganj upazilas. He however said the situation is improving as 72 medical teams are working in the district.
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