Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

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Source: http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=9..150408.apr08

Health Dept details measures on outbreak at Tipaimukh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 14: Claiming that the Medical Directorate has taken a serious note of the report of outbreak of diseases leading to the deaths of children in some villages under Tipaimukh sub-division, Churachandpur district, the State Health Director has issued a statement today detailing the measures taken up by the Department to counter the onslaught.

Detailing, the Director said that the Chief Medical Officer (CCpur) was instructed over the wireless to rush a medical team to the affected villages and investigate the cases and take up preventive measures.

The CMO was also instructed to monitor the situation and submit a report to the Medical Directorate, said the Health Director and added that as per the report of the CMO, the District Malaria Officer visited the said areas from March 10 to 13 covering Taimuong, Damdei, Sitan and Rovakot villages.

Deaths of children were reported since January this year, said the statement and added that they were due to respiratory infections and one due to viral fever.

A medical team also visited Lungthulien village on February 2 this year and on March 3 and reported that two children died due to viral fever.

As per the findings of the medical team, there is no epidemic in the villages covered so far, said the Director and added that there was a case of a malnourished child suffering from chronic chest infection.

As late as April 5 a medical team was sent to Papuihmum village.

Medicines have been despatched by the Medical Directorate, said the statement and added that if needed a medical team may be sent from the State headquarters.

The situation is being closely monitored and there are no lapses on the part of the Medical Directorate, maintained the Director.

Reports of deaths of children due to starvation following Mautam as well as outbreak of diseases have been published in the State dailies.

 

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Re: Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

Source: http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=1..170408.apr08

Churachandpur : Death toll of children put at 22
HSA gives a lie to Health Department report
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 16: Contradicting the earlier report of the State Health Department that there is no outbreak of epidemic in the interiors of Churachandpur with some children having succumbed to chest infection and viral fever, the Hmar Students Association today claimed that so far 22 children have passed away between January and April this year in Tipaimukh sub-division.

The deaths of the children come in the backdrop of the rice shortage at the interior following the bamboo flowering phenomena.

Significantly all the children who died during this period were aged between one month and 8 months.

Giving details, the student body said that six children passed away between February and March this year at Lungthulien village alone while the time of the death of two other kids at the same village could not be ascertained.

At Leisen village, three kids passed away in March, said HSA while another three children also died at Leisen village in March alone.

Three children each passed away at Tinsuong village and Damdiei, said HSA and added that all the six children in the two villages passed away in March.

One child each passed away at Parbung, Patpuimun, Senvon, Rovakot and Patpuihmun.

The latest victim was an 8 month old child from Rovakot who passed away on April 14 .

Even as the HSA has furnished details, such as names, the identities of the parents, the month of their deaths as well as the villages of all the victims, Health Minister Parijat has stuck to the Health Department earlier report that there is no epidemic.

In a statement dated April 15, the Health Minister said that the Chief Medical Officer of Churachandpur led a team and visited many villages in the interiors, including the villages which HSA had listed where the children had died, and reported that the death of one child was reported from Senvon village while two deaths were reported from Lungthulien.

There are reports of the deaths of six children in other villages, said the Health Minister and added that one death was reported from Patpuihmun.

A team has also been sent to Lungthulien and Parbung areas on April 14 with adequate medicine, said Parijat and added that a specialist team consisting of one physician, one child specialist from Churachandpur district hospital along with the District Malaria Officer will also visit Parbung, Lungthulien and Leisen areas on April 16 (today).

Further the Health Department has also despatched two consignments of medicines to supplement the stores of the CMO, Churachandpur, the Minister informed and claimed that there are no lapses on the part of the Health Department.

The Minister asserted that there is no cause for alarm and appealed to the public to remain calm and carry on with their daily activities.

RIMS authority has also decided to send a team including six specialists to the interiors of the district on April 21 .

Meanwhile a health team led by the District Malaria Officer has rushed to the interiors of CCpur district today.

The State Health Director said that this is the fifth time that medical teams have been sent to the interiors of CCpur and added that if needed another health team would be sent from Imphal.

Other than conducting on the spot investigation the team health will also collect samples for further studies, said the Health Director.

Referring to earlier reports, the Director said that the reports ruled out the outbreak of epidemic.

Most of the cases detected earlier were chronic chest infection ,viral fever and respiratory infections, he added.

Joseph Hmar, spokesman of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur ( Atsum) said the death toll has risen from 15 to 22 at eight remote villages under Tipaimukh sub division since the past one week.

"We tallied this figure after collecting the figures from different villages and the tally might increased as our members are yet to cover some more villages", the student leader said.

Atsum and Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (Desam) along with a health team including specialists with medicines will also move to the affected villages probably on April 19 .

Categorically holding the Government responsible for the deaths of the children, Joseph Hmar said that the deaths could have been prevented if only medical facilities were available in the remote areas.

He also appealed to the authorities to take immediate steps and contain the situation before it worsens.

 

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Re: Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

Source: http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=41817&typeid=1

Pneumonia behind Tipaimukh infants ravage, say doctors

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Apr 20: A team of doctors, including paediatrician, N Kameshwar, who visited the Tipaimukh villages reeling under reports of infant deaths due to an outbreak of an unknown epidemic, has confirmed the deaths, although not the claimed number of of 29.

When contacted by IFP, Dr. Kameshwar said it is also now known that the cause of the deaths is acute respiratory tract infection caused by a bacteria strain, which in later stages leads to pneumonia a condition fatal for infants if left without medical attention.

The tell tale symptoms of darkening of nails and lips at death were reported in every case, he said.

While ill, convalescence, alternating high fever and hypothermia, and in later stages, difficulty in breathing, uncontrollable urge to fall asleep etc, were also its unmistakable symptoms, he added. All these were confirmed from the field, he said.

He said, in all 25 confirmed deaths were recorded, and Lungthulien with 8 fatalities and Pherzawl with 15 were the worst affected.

The deaths however happened over the last four months and was not caused by any sudden outbreak of an epidemic as has been the general impression created by media reportage so far.

Dr Kameshwar said most of the fatalities were of infants below one year, and this was natural in such infections, as children above one year are generally develop stronger immune system.

He said a simple dose of appropriate antibiotic can cure, but these life saving drugs are scarce in these areas.

In certain villages, lucky enough to have even a trained nurse stationed have fared much better. In some of the villages enterprising medics had with remarkable effectiveness treated patients with improvised medications consisting of a regime of adult antibiotic drugs with similar compositions, administered in smaller portions to infants, the visiting doctors and activists said.

The doctors also said that the disease is a perennial condition and not a sudden outbreak, raising fears that its spread and dangers would continue even after the present battle to contain the disease is through.

The area is also extremely malaria prone and when the monsoon arrives, there will be added woe of this killer over and above the present one, they said.

 

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Re: Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

Source: http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=1..230408.apr08
Infant deaths at Tipaimukh
Toll rises to 30; BCG, DPT Greek to villagers
Source: The Sangai Express / Laishram Shamungou

Parbung (CCpur), April 22: The death toll of infants in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district following the outbreak of a yet to be diagnosed disease continues to claim the lives of children, with one more child passing away early today morning.

With the latest casualty, the death toll of children, all below the age of one, has risen to 30 ever since the disease broke out during the last three/four months.

On the other hand, lack of medical care in the interiors of Churachandpur became palpably clear as it has been confirmed that no expectant mother has ever received the BCG and no child has been administered DPT vaccine to ensure the health of the child as well as the expecting mother.

It is however yet to be confirmed whether the lack of vaccination is in any way related to the deaths of the children.

Even as the Government is groping in the dark to ascertain the cause of the deaths as well as to confirm the veracity of the number of deaths, an 8 year old girl child passed away yesterday after mid-night at Lungthulien at Tipaimukh sib-division, which is situated a good 289 kms from the district headquarters.

The deceased child is identified as Lalunmoi.

The symptoms of the child included, vomiting, losing consciousness and extreme weakness coupled with high fever.

Interacting with this reporter, the people of Tipaimukh said the with the death of the 8 month old child, the number of children who have died in the past three/four months in the sub-division has risen to 30 . At Lungthulien alone the number of children who have died in the same period is nine.

Talking to this reporter, the father of the deceased girl said she had been ailing for the last one month.

A medical team from the State Government had examined her and prescribed some medicines, said the father Lalotshang further.

However they could not procure the medicines as the villagers are facing starvation following the bamboo flowering, said the bereaved father and added that going to Churachandpur headquarters or Mizoram to procure the medicines was beyond their means.

Explaining the situation in which the villagers are caught in, Lalotshang said that to buy medicines worth Rs 100, they have to spend at least Rs 1000 to travel to Churachandpur district headquarters.

If they opt to go to Mizoram then it entails spending one night there, he added.

The famine like situation following the bamboo flowering has only made matter worse, said the bereaved father and added that if they stop working for even a single day, then it would mean starving for the day.

Adding to the woes of the people is the lack of any medical facilities for the villagers and a tour around the villages of Tipaimukh revealed that no expecting mother has been given the BCG vaccine and no child DPT.

Since travelling to the district headquarters means incurring huge expenses, which the villagers just cannot afford, it means that delivery is mostly done at home with no medical care.

Since the expecting mothers and children are not administered any vaccine, it makes them all that more vulnerable in the event of the outbreak of any disease in the area.

Though a dispensary has been opened at Lungthulien, there is no building, no medicines and no health workers/doctors/nurses.

The nearest medical centre for the people of Lungthulien is Parbung which is about nine kms away.

Not surprisingly, the Community Health Centre at Parbung did not have any medicine stocks when the disease broke out.

However things have marginally improved at the CHC with some medicines available now.

The beds at the CHC have been taken away by security forces, said the villagers.

Seven children showing symptoms of the child who passed away last night at Lungthulien were found at Leisen and another one at Torbung.

To extend a helping hand to hapless villagers a medical team from RIMS today held a medical camp at Parbung Health Centre.

The team includes seven specialists in Medicine, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT, Microbiology.

The medical camp was jointly organised by the Hmar Youth Association.

A large number of women along with their children turned up at the medical camp and the doctors said that they have detected similar symptoms in two or three children.

Similar medical camps will also be held in other villages.

 

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Re: Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

Source: http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..240408.apr08
Central team to visit epidemic hit Manipur
Source: Lalmalsawm Sungte *

Churachandpur, April 23: The Central Emergency Medical Relief team is to tour epidemic-hit Manipur's Hmarram area (Parbung-sub division) of Churachandpur district, during this week.

This was informed by Delhi Hmar Welfare Association's secretary Mr D Khobung after the Famine Relief Committee (FRC) several representations to the Union Health and Family Ministry in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"In response to the numerous representations submitted by the FRC to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry asking the Central's Emergency Medical Relief to tour epidemic-hit Hmarram area of Manipur, the Chief Medical Officer of the Directorate General of Health Services has assured us that a central team, which includes epidemiologist, pediatrician, micro-biologist and host of other doctors will be visiting Manipur during this week if everything goes as planned," Mr Khobung said over phone from New Delhi.

So far 29 children have died in Hmarram area of Parbung sub-division.

Official sources believed that the disease could be some kind of respiratory disease related to pneumonia.

However, it is yet to be ascertained, said state health officials who are camping in the area.

"We met the CMO several times during the last two weeks.

Today (Tuesday), he personally stated that the Centre was concerned about the recent deaths and was also keeping track of the measures taken by the state government," Mr Khobung claimed.

In a big embarrassment to the Manipur government, Mr Khobung said, the CMO told them that Manipur was not doing enough to check the spread of the disease as compared to Mizoram government which he said was way ahead in providing relief works to epidemic and Mautam victims.

"He also told us that the World Health Organization was informed about the developments in Manipur," the Hmar leader claimed.

Meanwhile, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences director Dr.L Fimate has directed a team of 8 doctors to treat the sick.

On Tuesday the team which includes pediatric, gynaecologist, ENT specialist, physicians and micro-biologist reached Parbung, the sub-divisional headquarters of the affected area.

The team is equipped with a laboratory, set up in three Sumos, for on the spot study of the deadly virus.

The medical team is expected to tour almost all villages in Hmarram area in the coming weeks.

* The writer of this news can be contacted at lalmalsawm(at)gmail(dot)com .

 

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Re: Health Dept details measures on outbreak (of diseases killing children) at Tipaimukh

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http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=2..260408.apr08
After unknown disease claims kids' lives at CCpur...
Viral Hepatitis, Jaundice rear ugly heads
Source: The Sangai Express

Senvon (CCpur), April 25: Even as the people in the villages under Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district have been grappling with the outbreak of a yet to be identified disease which has claimed the lives of 30 children so far, fresh report on outbreak of Viral Hepatitis and Jaundice among the children in Senvon and Leisen villages have come in.

It is said that over 30 children have been affected by viral Viral Hepatitis and Jaundice in the two villages of the sub-division which has already been reeling under the impact of Mautam and its subsequent food shortage.

With lack of any proper health care facilities, even a common ailment is a serious health problem for the people of the sub-division, which has been remaining like an island cut off by an insensitive Government.

Apart from the deplorable condition of the road connecting the sub-division with National Highway 150 and Guite Road, there is no other means of transportation with exception to truck service.

Most of the houses in the sub-divisions do not maintain separate kitchens and every households use fire woods for their cooking purposes, thus the houses remain enveloped in toxic smoke most of the time.

It was also seen that most of the villagers irrespective of young and old, men and women are in the habit of smoking cigarettes, that too with the tobaccos rolled in papers of newspapers even as most of the womenfolk use Khaini.

The water required for daily consumption is fetched from untreated water sources maintained in each village.

During the course of a health camp conducted by a team of medical doctors from RIMS at various parts of the sub-divisions including Parbung, Senvon, Damdei and Pherzawl from April 21 to 24, in the wake of reports of death of many children with symptoms of breathlessness, vomiting, fever, lethargy and loss of consciousness, it was detected that most of the children are suffering from malnutrition and the pregnant mothers from the complication of not having vaccinated for tetanus in time.

The medical team comprising Dr Kenny and Dr Romeo of Medicines, Dr Shyamsunder and Dr Kambiyak Dik of Paediatrics, Dr Rameshwar of Gynae, Dr Sudhir Ranjan of ENT and Dr Mope Riba of Microbiology came across children coming to the health camp suffering from similar symptoms.

The medical team collected blood and stool samples as well as throat swaps for testing.

Medical examination of 557 patients in Senvon, 779 in Parbung, 342 in Perzawl and 10 in Damdei have been conducted during the health camp.

According to one of the doctors, symptoms of breathlessness, vomiting, loss of consciousness, lethargy, etc is also common among the children at Imphal.

However, the lives of the children can be saved easily as proper health care facilities are available at Imphal.

On the other hand, mortality rate among the children of the sub-divisions has been high due to various factors like unhygienic living condition, lack of general awareness on health care, absence of health care facilities coupled with backwardness in road and transport facilities.

Nonetheless, the doctor assured that the cause of the death of the children in the sub-divisions could be known after necessary testing.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, MO in-charge of the Primary Health Centre at Senvon Dr Firthanglien Buhril opined that emission of toxic gas and smoke from the fire woods burnt in the houses may have been one of the main reasons for the infection and the subsequent death of many children in the sub-divisions over the last few months.

The death of the children at Leisen village, located about 280 kms from Churachandpur has been diagnosed as cases of liver enlargement and jaundice and that of the causes of death at Senvon as brongco pneumonia, Dr Buhril said, while recalling that the children have suffered after consuming pork meat of the pigs that have died in Leisen from some unknown diseases during December and January last year.

It is said that in Leisen village, over 30 children are currently being hospitalised from viral hepatitis infection and they are medically taken care of.

When pressed for more information in connection with the death of children, it came to that no samples have been collected nor test ever conducted to find out the causes of the death of the children.

Only clinical observation have been conducted.

The two children who reportedly died at Senvon and Robakot were still born.

As of now, there is no building for the Primary Health Centre at Senvon.

The construction work has been stopped after the foundation level.

The hospital which used to function from the residence of the chowkidar has also been shifted to the rented hall of the village authority.

When inquired on why BCG and DPT which are essential have not been vaccinated on children upto to the age of 5 years, Dr Buhril revealed that as there is no electricity, there is no facilities for cold storage of the vaccines.

During the course of investigation, it also came to light that there is no sign of any would-be mothers going to the hospital for delivery cases in the sub-divisions in spite of the claim that necessary measures have been taken under the National Rural Health Mission to ensure that all the delivery cases are reported at the hospital.

None of the people in the sub-divisions have also been benefited van of the mobile dispensaries that have been launched by the Government recently.

It was also learnt that the villagers are not in a position to purchase the medicines prescribed by the doctors due to financial constraints and deplorable condition of the road and communication facilities.

For instance, to purchase a medicine costing just Rs 100, one has to come till Churachandpur district headquarters spending over Rs 1600 at the minimum on travelling fare and expenditure for lodging and fooding.

There has been no telephone connectivity under the Government of Manipur in most of the villages of the sub-divisions.

Instead, the villages are dotted with WLL PCO procured from Mizoram.

With no opportunities to watch the program mes telecast by the Doordharshan Kendra, Imphal, the villagers have no idea about the developmental programmes including health care scheme being taken up by the Govt.

With long years of dependence on Solar lamps to light up their houses at night in the absence of electricity, the villagers, inspite of the reservation against the proposal of constructing the Tipaimukh dam, hoped that commissioning of the project might bring along some developmental light in their lives, Victung Hmar of Senvon village summed up the dilemma of the people living in the sub-divisions.

Meanwhile, according to report received by the press, a joint team of doctors comprising three from National Insitute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi and two each from Imphal and Churachandpur have set out for Tipaimukh to probe into the matter related to death of children.