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Typhoid outbreak
Monday, April 16, 2007
A COMMUNITY is in shock as it scrambles to deal with a typhoid outbreak that claimed one life, made more than 60 villagers sick and is feared to have infected many more villagers.
The Natewa and Tukavesi health centres were specially opened yesterday to treat the file of villagers who complained of diarrhea, body pains and headaches, which are symptomatic of typhoid.
A team of police officers dispatched to the area yesterday morning said more patients were being transported from villages in Natewa Bay.
Community policing coordinator Cakaudrove, Sergeant Simione Bale said when they were at the Natewa Health Centre, villagers continued to arrive to see the doctor and nurse at the centre. "Three villagers had to be admitted to one of the government quarters because there are no beds at the Natewa Health Centre," he said.
Sgt Bale said villagers in Natewa Bay were in a state of shock and were fearful.
"The villagers are lost and all look worried because they don't know what to do. It's a sudden outbreak that involved a death and they don't know what measures to take to prevent the spread of typhoid."
He said it was expensive for villagers to travel to the clinic because the road was bad and they had to hire boats to take them instead.
"It is expensive for them because they don't want to lose any more lives, they have opted to carry the load of the hire boat charges," he said.
A Methodist church pastor Lepani Vaniqi from Buca bay said the Tukavesi Health Centre was always full. "It's quite dangerous because it's spreading and more villagers are complaining of the same symptoms," Pastor Vaniqi said.
"This is the time for the health department to get in touch with church leaders and village leaders to we can work together to fight the spread of this disease."
Sub-Divisional medical officer Cakaudrove, Doctor Mohammed Ishaque said the outbreak was to be blamed on the villagers' attitude.
"Many did not report to the health centre as early as possible. For three weeks the villagers were suffering from symptoms of typhoid but only when the death happened, then they came in full force and that should change," he said.
"We have not received any more cases from Natewa so far and that is why we can say that it is under control," Dr Ishaque said.
"The Public Works Department should fix the roads quickly this week so that our health team can have better access to the villages. However, we have been visiting villages and advising villagers of important measures to take to prevent typhoid and other diseases as a result of the cyclone."
Dr Ishaque said one of the causes of typhoid in the Natewa Bay area was contaminated water.
"After the cyclone, the water catchment area to the village and the school was affected and villagers turned to the river for drinking water. We don't know how many villagers boiled their water as advised but contaminated water is one of the causes."
There were 17 cases of typhoid from Wailevu Village, Tunuloa, reported to the Savusavu Hospital last week with six people admitted. Three were sent back home. Eight other cases were still to be confirmed.
There were 44 cases reported in Macuata and 20 in Cakaudrove.
Monday, April 16, 2007
A COMMUNITY is in shock as it scrambles to deal with a typhoid outbreak that claimed one life, made more than 60 villagers sick and is feared to have infected many more villagers.
The Natewa and Tukavesi health centres were specially opened yesterday to treat the file of villagers who complained of diarrhea, body pains and headaches, which are symptomatic of typhoid.
A team of police officers dispatched to the area yesterday morning said more patients were being transported from villages in Natewa Bay.
Community policing coordinator Cakaudrove, Sergeant Simione Bale said when they were at the Natewa Health Centre, villagers continued to arrive to see the doctor and nurse at the centre. "Three villagers had to be admitted to one of the government quarters because there are no beds at the Natewa Health Centre," he said.
Sgt Bale said villagers in Natewa Bay were in a state of shock and were fearful.
"The villagers are lost and all look worried because they don't know what to do. It's a sudden outbreak that involved a death and they don't know what measures to take to prevent the spread of typhoid."
He said it was expensive for villagers to travel to the clinic because the road was bad and they had to hire boats to take them instead.
"It is expensive for them because they don't want to lose any more lives, they have opted to carry the load of the hire boat charges," he said.
A Methodist church pastor Lepani Vaniqi from Buca bay said the Tukavesi Health Centre was always full. "It's quite dangerous because it's spreading and more villagers are complaining of the same symptoms," Pastor Vaniqi said.
"This is the time for the health department to get in touch with church leaders and village leaders to we can work together to fight the spread of this disease."
Sub-Divisional medical officer Cakaudrove, Doctor Mohammed Ishaque said the outbreak was to be blamed on the villagers' attitude.
"Many did not report to the health centre as early as possible. For three weeks the villagers were suffering from symptoms of typhoid but only when the death happened, then they came in full force and that should change," he said.
"We have not received any more cases from Natewa so far and that is why we can say that it is under control," Dr Ishaque said.
"The Public Works Department should fix the roads quickly this week so that our health team can have better access to the villages. However, we have been visiting villages and advising villagers of important measures to take to prevent typhoid and other diseases as a result of the cyclone."
Dr Ishaque said one of the causes of typhoid in the Natewa Bay area was contaminated water.
"After the cyclone, the water catchment area to the village and the school was affected and villagers turned to the river for drinking water. We don't know how many villagers boiled their water as advised but contaminated water is one of the causes."
There were 17 cases of typhoid from Wailevu Village, Tunuloa, reported to the Savusavu Hospital last week with six people admitted. Three were sent back home. Eight other cases were still to be confirmed.
There were 44 cases reported in Macuata and 20 in Cakaudrove.
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