Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Thirteen kids die mysteriously, authorities slow to act
Thirteen children in a remote mountainous village in central Vietnam have died mysteriously over the past two months, as authorities failed to distribute medicine and health officials slow to act.
The children in Quang Nam province?s village 2 in Nam Tra My district, ranging in age from 1 to 6 years, died after manifesting 5 to 10 days of cold-like symptoms along with dry coughs, vomiting blood, and diarrhea.
Tragically, one local - Ho Van Dieu had three children die in one day in February.
Tuoi Tre newspaper quoted Ho Van Quang, head of the commune?s communist party cell as saying he had reported the deaths [when the incident began] to the district health center but received no reply.
?A few days ago, several health officials [from the district] arrived, but they only met in the commune?s capital,? he said.
The delegation surmised the deaths may have been caused by pneumonia triggered by chilliness in the high mountains.
Locals felt tuberculosis or cholera may have been the cause.
Nguyen Thanh Duong, on staff at the commune health department said that due to their rural location, they had little access to medicine to distribute.
Local health authorities said the investigation to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths is continuing.
http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=26655
Thirteen children in a remote mountainous village in central Vietnam have died mysteriously over the past two months, as authorities failed to distribute medicine and health officials slow to act.
The children in Quang Nam province?s village 2 in Nam Tra My district, ranging in age from 1 to 6 years, died after manifesting 5 to 10 days of cold-like symptoms along with dry coughs, vomiting blood, and diarrhea.
Tragically, one local - Ho Van Dieu had three children die in one day in February.
Tuoi Tre newspaper quoted Ho Van Quang, head of the commune?s communist party cell as saying he had reported the deaths [when the incident began] to the district health center but received no reply.
?A few days ago, several health officials [from the district] arrived, but they only met in the commune?s capital,? he said.
The delegation surmised the deaths may have been caused by pneumonia triggered by chilliness in the high mountains.
Locals felt tuberculosis or cholera may have been the cause.
Nguyen Thanh Duong, on staff at the commune health department said that due to their rural location, they had little access to medicine to distribute.
Local health authorities said the investigation to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths is continuing.
http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=26655
Thanks Dutchy.