Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 321

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Re: Cholera outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Cholera outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/630188/International/2/20/2

International

Over 200 die of diarrhea in Nepal


Published: July 22,2009
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Kathmandu , July 22 Diarrhea has reportedly claimed at least 200 lives in Nepal over the past one and half months.

According to Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of Health Ministry, in Jajarkot district of mid-western Nepal alone, 145 people were killed by the epidemic, while more than 55 died in Rukum and other neighbouring districts.

Dang, Surkhet, Bajura, Dadeldhura and Dailekh are the other diarrhea hit districts, which are remote and backward with no medical facilities, officials said.

During the decade long insurgency these places were Maoist strongholds where hospitals and other health utilities were damaged in the civil war waged by the activists.

Health workers have cited polluted water as the main cause of the epidemic. Bacteria of cholera was detected in stool samples collected from five districts with the assistance of the World Health Organisation, the officials said.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal visited the affected places on Monday and instructed concerned authorities to dispatch medical teams and equipments in a speedy manner.

The government also mobilised the army and used two helicopters to transport medical teams and medicines to the affected districts.

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EDIS-7UELFC?OpenDocument

Nepal: Diarrhoea outbreak kills hundreds

Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Date: 29 Jul 2009


By Indra Adhikari in Kathmandu

A deadly outbreak of acute diarrhoea is sweeping remote districts of mid and western Nepal, killing around 200 people. Thousands more are receiving treatment in health posts and emergency camps set up by the government.

The tragic story of 25-year-old Bhagawati - a young mother from Jajarkot, in Nepal's mid-west, who lost her two-year-old son to the disease - typifies the crisis.

Bhagawati was too ill to carry her child for treatment to the nearest health post, some three hours away. The next day she barely made it to the health post herself, arriving traumatised and dehydrated with the same symptoms that killed her son.

Dead and affected

Jajarkot lies 375 kilometres from the country's capital, Kathmandu, but is a four-hour trek from closest airport. Many of the men from the area have migrated to other towns in search of work, and consequently most of the dead and affected in Jajarkot are women and children. Tests carried out on three out of seven samples received in the government labs in Kathmandu reveal that the diarrhoea was caused by the cholera-causing bacterium, vibrio cholarae.

Jajarkot is not alone. The disease has spread out to other districts, in particular neighbouring Rukum. So far, more than 134 persons have died in Jajarkot and 39 in Rukum - and more than 15,000 cases have been reported in these two districts alone.

The outbreak, which began in May, is being attributed to contaminated water due to a combination of factors including poor sanitation and water scarcity. Open defecation and lack of knowledge about good hygiene practises have contributed to the spread.

Endemic poverty

With endemic poverty, a bar of soap is a luxury people cannot afford. Safe drinking water is difficult to access as most people live far above the river and the high demand upstream for rice paddy transplanting has led to water scarcity for downstream populations. The health situation has been further exacerbated by food insecurity in the region which has been suffering from drought.

"As this situation has developed we have mobilized more than 200 volunteers to respond. Promoting awareness about safe drinking water and sanitation amongst these remote communities is vital," said Mr Sudarshan Nepal, acting secretary general of the Nepal Red Cross Society.

The volunteers have been dispatched into the countryside to distribute posters that explain the symptoms of diarrhoea with accompanying messages on prevention and treatment. As the volunteers travel between remote settlements, they carry oral rehydration sachets and chlorine tablets to distribute in communities to ensure that people have access to safe drinking water.

The Nepal Red Cross Society is working closely with the government and non-governmental organizations to stem the outbreak, and has been distributing tents, blankets and tarpaulins and providing support to patients and their families in the health centres.

Epidemic spreading

With the epidemic now spreading to Rolpa, Dolpa, Jumla, Dang, Surkhet, Dadeldhura districts, Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers remain the closest providers of support to affected communities. But communication and logistics are proving difficult in the remote villages where walking between individual houses perched high on hillsides can take a full day.

Shiva Ram Khatri, secretary of the Rukum chapter of the Nepal Red Cross Society, says: "Everyday around 20 patients visit 41 health posts of the districts. The district public health office reports that two to three persons are dying in these remote villages daily.

"The double tragedy is that the signs of diarrhoea now carry a stigma that is resulting in unpredicted discrimination. People are scared of carrying even their own family members or friends to the health post for treatment."

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Source: http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5920

Nepal: Diarrhoea kills dozen plus on Wednesday, govt. insensitive
TGW

?No one would have to die in this country of diarrhoea and cholera in the future?, said a beaming Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal while he was recently on a trip to the diarrhoea affected areas in the mid-western region of the country.

After his return to Kathmandu, addressing a meeting of the Constituent Assembly Committee for Women, Children and Social Welfare, the Prime Minster also said that epidemic is gradually coming under control.

However, since his return to Kathmandu, the death toll continues to rise.
News reports even claimed that health assistants and medical practitioners were fleeing the area due to the outbreak fearing that they too may be attacked by the same disease.
This glaring insensitivity!

Independent reports claim that in the districts of Jajarkot, Rukum and Dailekh, the total death toll has already crossed the mark of 200.

On July 29, 2009, twelve people were killed due to diarrhoea in the districts of Jajarkot, Rukum and Dailekh.

Government Data:

Most affected districts


Jajarkot and Rukum

Less affected districts


Dolpa, Dadeldhura Rolpa Surkhet, Dailekh, Achham, Salyan, Doti, Kanchanpur, Pyuthan and Bajura

Heath camps


74

No. of Attendants:


Doctors: 33; Health Workers: 339

Total Treated(28 July 2009)


22,415

Medicine worth


17 million Rupees

Number of Deaths


188




2009-07-30 09:03:09

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Source: http://www.zeenews.com/news552031.html



Diarrhoea and natural calamities claim 16 lives in Nepal
Updated on Saturday, August 01, 2009, 14:42 IST

Kathmandu: At least eight people died on Saturday after the outbreak of diarrhoea in several districts of western Nepal raising the death toll to 16 over the weekend due to the outbreak of disease and natural calamities in the area.

Eight people have on Saturday died after the outbreak of diarrhoea in Jajarkot, Rukum, Kalikot and Dailekh districts in western Nepal, the officials said. In Jajorkot and Ruku were the worst hit districts by the disease.

Five people have died in Syangja and three in Tanahun districts of western Nepal yesterday due to flood and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains, officials said.

Some 18 villages have been inundated in Rautahat district in southern Nepal due to the monsoon rain.

Bureau Report

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Source: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=4+more+succumb+to+diarrhoea&id=MjM0MTc=

4 more succumb to diarrhoea

Last Updated : 2009-08-01 1:50 PM

Himalayan News Service

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.

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll close to 100 in Jajarkot

Source: http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=207706

Diarrhoea death toll in Dailekh reaches 16
Kantipur Report
DAILEKH/DANG, Aug 3 - One more person died of diarrhoea in Dailkekh on Monday bringing the death toll in the district to 16.

The district health office said Narayan Kala Jaisi, 70, of Bhairikalikathum VDC died of the epidemic today. Six people of the same VDC have already fallen prey to diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, the diarrhoea epidemic that has claimed about 300 lives since three months has now been seen in Deukhuri of Dang.

Sunadbari village of Sonpur VDC-8 has been most affected in Deukhuri.

12 people have been admitted at the primary health post in Lamahi until Monday. Among them eight hail from Sunadbari, health post official Tarak KC said.

Head doctor at the health post Arbinda Bhushal informed some 25 partients come on a daily basis for treatment and there aren?t even enough beds for them.

?The number of patients since one week was not so much. But it has increased from today,? Dr Bhushal said.

According to Dr Bhushal, patients are usually from Sonpur, Chaulahi, Bangaon and Satbariya and awareness has been raised there to control the spread. The villagers usually fall sick due to consumption of contaminated water.
Posted on: 2009-08-03 04:49:30 (Server Time)

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Source: http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5963

Diarrhoea Outbreak Nepal: Two deaths in Rukum on Monday
TGW

Nepal's Ministry of Health on Monday August 3, 2009, claimed that 233 deaths have been recorded so far due to diarrhoea outbreak in the country.

As per the government data, diarrhoea toll in the district of Jajarkot is 142, Rukum-43 and other districts as 48.

116 VDCs in the country have been diarrhoea affected, the Ministry of health reveals.

The Ministry said on Monday, August 3, 2009, Dolpa, Rolpa, Salyan, Dailekh, Bajura, Dadeldhura, Doti, Surkhet, Kanchanpur, Pyuthan, Acham, Baitadi, Dhading, Kailali and Bajhang have been partially affected by diarrhoea.

To add, in the district of Rukum two more deaths were recorded on Monday due to diarrhoea.
2009-08-04 08:31:04

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Source: http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5962

Diarrhoea Outbreak: UN irresponsible in Nepal, claims INSEC Chief
TGW

Mr. Subodh Pyakurel, chief of the INSEC (Informal Sector Service Centre) and a United Marxist Leninists? Party leader has pointed out that the substandard food distributed by the UN-World Food Program in the mid-western region of the country was one of the main reasons for the Diarrhoea outbreak.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO), however, issuing a joint statement have denied the allegation.

The UNWFP country representative Richard Ragan and WHO representative, Dr. Alexander Andjaparidze said on Monday that Mr. Pyakurel?s remarks were an unscientifically proven statement that could further endanger the lives of people who may decide to skip or reduce needed food in a misguided attempt to protect themselves from this outbreak.

?Spreading false information that food is the source of cholera contamination will only put more lives at risk?, the joined statement reads.

?We have found the rice supplied by the WFP were rotten? howvere revealed Pyakurel.

Mr. Pyakurel also told the media, Nepalgunj, Monday that during the reconstruction of Drinking Water System that were destroyed during the Maoists? rebellion, corruption by the local leaders led to the low quality repair works thus the people at large remained far from getting potable water.

Mr. Pyakurel also urged the government to stop taking foreign support without analyzing the dangerous consequences.

He also alleged that the UN body in Nepal was found completely irresponsible in handling the diarrhoea outbreak.
2009-08-04 08:29:37

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/JBRN-7ULGC4?OpenDocument

Mid and Far Western Region diarrhoea outbreak - Situation update until 03 Aug 2009

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Date: 03 Aug 2009

Full_Report (pdf* format - 331.5 Kbytes)


Highlights:

- 233 total diarrhoea related deaths reported in 16 affected districts in Mid and Far Western Regions, from 5 May to 3 August 2009.

- 142 diarrhoea related deaths recorded in Jajarkot District, as of 3 August 2009.

- Health situation remains a concern in Rukum and Dailekh Districts.

- Access to diarrhoea affected areas and communication remain a constraint for the delivery of emergency medical services.

- GoN announced a Short Term Plan and Long Term Plan for the diarrhoea affected areas in Mid and Far Western Regions.

Full_Report (pdf* format - 331.5 Kbytes)
(*) Get Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=8232

WFP, WHO deny rice caused cholera


REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Aug 4: The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO) have denied allegations made by President of the Informal Sector Service Center (Insec) Subodh Raj Pyakurel that WFP-supplied rice, edible oils and lentils have caused the cholera outbreak in mid-western Nepal.

"This is an unscientifically proven statement that could further endanger the lives of people who may decide to skip or reduce desperately needed food in a misguided attempt to protect themselves from this outbreak. Spreading false information that food is the source of cholera contamination will only put more lives at risk," said a press statement issued by WFP and WHO on Tuesday.

Cholera can only be transmitted through contaminated water or lack of adequate hygiene practices. Rations like rice, lentils or oil cannot be the source of a cholera outbreak. Sources of infection can only come through handling the food with contaminated hands and water (particularly washing plates with contaminated water etc.), the statement further reads.



Published on 2009-08-04 17:57:22

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Source: http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=208028


Diarrhoea kills five more; toll hits 189 in Jajarkot
Kantipur Report
JAJARKOT, Aug 5 - Five more persons died from the epidemic of diarrhoea in the district on Wednesday, taking the death toll from the epidemic since its first outbreak in April to 189.

The deceased have been identified as Bahadur Rokaya, 55, and Bhanmati Tiluwa, 57, of Thalaraika VDC-9, Bhim Bahadur BK, 21, of Nayakbada VDC-8, and Subi BK, 55, of Laha VDC-1.

Likewise, Saraswati BK, 6, of Paduria-6, died last night after falling ill due to diarrhoea.
Posted on: 2009-08-05 08:04:45 (Server Time)

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 233

W Nepal district Rukum diarrhea death toll reaches 58
Source: Xinhua [08:07

August 21 2009] Comments

Two more persons died of diarrhea in Rukum district, taking the death toll to 58 alone in the district, Nepali national news agency RSS reported Friday.
The latest victims were identified as six-year-old Bal Bir Budha of Salyakhadi and 18-year-old Prem Kumari Bista of Gotamakotin the district, some 290 km west of Nepali capital Kathmandu.

Rukum district is neighboring Jajarkot district, some 325 km west of Kathmandu, where the epidemic firstly broke out in April and has killed more than 150 there.

According to their family sources, they died on the way to hospital on Thursday.
The deaths came at a time when the Nepali government has already said that the diarrhea epidemic spreading in some western districts was under control.


It is learnt that an increasing number of people in Salyakhadi of Rukum are suffering from the disease. Some of those, who already caught diarrhea and returned to normal condition after treatment, are said to be contracting the disease again, according to the report.
Lack of access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities has led to the disaster.


As of August 13, the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal has confirmed 282 diarrhea related deaths within 157 diarrhea affected Village Development Committees (VDCs) of 17 districts in the Mid and Far Western Regions of Nepal since May 5.


http://life.globaltimes.cn/health/2009-08/459809.html

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 321

Source: http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index...ea-continues-to-take-lives-4-die-in-doti.html

Govt claims diarrhea outbreak taken under control; four more killed in Doti
Sunday, 23 August 2009 20:18

Even as four more persons died in Doti due to diarrhea on Sunday, the health ministry has claimed the diarrhea and cholera epidemic in the mid and far western districts has come under control.

Issuing a press statement Sunday, the ministry said, the epidemic in mid and far western regions had been fully controlled in all but two districts. The epidemic in Rukum and Doti is almost controlled, the statement adds.

Four more persons, Chandra Devi Kami, 50, and Saila Kami, 54, of Chandradevi in Nuwakot VDC-6, Paharam Bhandari, 70, of Gajari VDC-9, and Harina Devi Rokaya of Thapali VDC-4 died after suffering from a serious bout of diarrhea in impoverished Doti district on Sunday, taking the death toll in the district to 13.

Reports said that the health posts are understaffed and lack enough medicines, as in other diarrhea-hit districts. On top of that, some locals are said to be not taking the patients who have fallen ill due to diarrhea to the health posts for fears of contracting the disease themselves.

The health ministry has also said, medicine worth Rs 29.5 million was dispatched to the affected area and about 60,000 patients of 19 districts were treated.

According to the statement, the epidemic claimed 321 lives since April, with 154 deaths in Jajarkot alone.

The government has so far not come up with any concrete reasons why the disease has turned into an epidemic. nepalnews.com

 

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Re: Diarrhea outbreak in Nepal: Toll is 321

Source: http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=213682

Displaced dreading diarrhoea
Kantipur Report
BAJURA, Sept 7 - People of Kuldevmandau VDC in Bajura district, who were displaced by landslide nearly a month ago, have been suffering from diarrhoea and also are facing shortage of consumable goods.

27 Dalit families of Kavra, Kuldevmandau, were displaced by last month's landslide.

Tek Ukheda, a displaced taking shelter at Tudke, said, "Most of us including the children are suffering from diarrhoea. We do not have money for treatment.?

Some children have also shown symptoms of pneumonia.

As their fields have been buried by the landslide, the displaced have also been facing scarcity of consumable goods.

They have complained that the authorities haven?t taken any effort to address their woes.
Posted on: 2009-09-07 09:49:24 (Server Time)