Diarrhoea takes serious turn in Nilphamari

Diarrhoea patients on the floor of Nilphamari Sadar Hospital. The photo was taken at about noon yesterday.

Talking to this correspondent yesterday, Civil Surgeon Nazrul Islam admitted the four deaths and said around 55,600 peoeple have been attacked with the disease in the six upazilas.

The unofficial death toll is however 35.

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He said the month of September is the worst period as regards diarrhoea and other intertinal diseases are concerned.

The Civil Surgeon said the demand for intravenous cholera saline in the affected areas is 1000 bags per day but the health department had only 110 bags yesterday.

A messenger was sent to Dhaka yesterday to bring saline on an emergency basis. He is expected to be back by Saturday night.

The situation in Domar and Nilphamari is "serious" but it has "improved" in Dimla, the Civil Surgeon said.

According to information received from the district health department till Saturday noon, 19 diarrhoea patiernts were admitted to the upazila health complex in Nilphamari, 15 in Domar, 14 in Dimla, 14 in Jaldhaka and 13 in Saidpur health complex.

Two emergency diarrhoea wards have been set up at Nilphamari Sadar Hospital and Dimla health complex.

This correspondent during a visit found diarrhoea patients lying on the floor at Nilphamari Sadar Hospital for want of beds.

Hundreds of patients are taking treatment daily at outdoors of the Sadar Hospital and the five upazila health complexes.

Besides, a large number of patients are taking treatment at homes.

Due to scarcity, doctors and health workers at hospitals are advising patinets to buy intravenous saline from outside.

Taking the chance, drug store owners are charging

Tk 60 to 70 per intravenous saline against Tk 40.

Many poor people compalined that their patients

are suffering as they can not buy saline at such

high oprice.

The Civil Surgeon said the disease spread as poor people were compelled to take uneatable food and impure water.

There is no agricultural work in the district now. At least five lakh people are unemployed and so they can not buy food, sources said.

The government should supply emergency food relief and start food for work programme to cope with the situation, they said.