Three more die; Jajarkot flu toll 24
Himalayan News Service
Jajarkot, April 18
Three more persons succumbed to flu in Jajarkot pushing the death toll to 24 since the epidemic started three weeks ago.
Amrita Adhikari, just 27days old, of Pajaru VDC-5 died yesterday. Sher Bahadur Rawat, 28, of Dashera-8 and Bire Karki, 68, of Nayakwada-8 died today.
The District Health Office claimed the disease is under control in Nayakwada, Sakla, Paink, Archhani, Talegaun and Pajar, but Rana Bahadur Shahi, a local teacher at Archhani said patients are still dying in Talegaun, Nayakwada, Archhani and Pajaru.
“Though some patients have been treated, everyday there are new flu patients,” he said.
Lack of health workers and medicine in flu-affected areas has worsened the situation. More than 1,000 persons have fallen ill in Talegaun, Archhani, Nayakwada, Rokayagaun and Majkot, but health facilities only have brufen, cetamol and rehydration solution.
Even health workers have started falling ill. Assistant Health Worker Ramchandra Giri of Paink Health Post has been brought to Teku Hospital for treatment. Similarly, Dr Deepak Pun, deployed in Paink; and Dr Gunanidhi Sharma, deployed in Sakla VDC, have developed health complications. “As health workers are themselves falling ill, manpower crunch has aggravated the problem,” said Krishna Khatri, focal person at district hospital, who said 3,450 patients had been treated by Saturday in flu-affected areas.While Dr Pun and Dr Bibhant Sah of the district hospital are deployed in Paink, Dr Sharma of World Health Organisation is serving in Sakla, and Dr Panilman Singh Pradhan of Patan Hospital is on duty in Pajaru. Dr Pranaya Karki of Nepali Army and Dr Suman Rai of Chaurjahari Community Hospital are deployed in Talegaun and Archhani respectively.
They are assisted by local health workers. The DHO has not sent additional health workers and medicine to flu-affected areas citing lack of budget. “As we don’t have separate budget for flu outbreak, we don’t know how to manage money to control the outbreak,” said DHO chief Dhirjung Shah, adding, “We’ve got 150,000 rupees for disaster management, which is not enough.”Shah said health desks have been set up at Chhedachaur, Thalahabazaar, Dalli and Khalanga’s Shanti Chautara to examine those who enter the district.An army team led by Brigadier General Khadga Bahadur Malla observed the flu-affected areas and distributed medicine today. Also, a team of health workers from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Department is serving in Limsa and Thalahabazaar.