VGF rice being stolen in diarrhoea affected areas

People in Itakhola under the Sadar upazila beat a Union Paishad member on Thursday, protesting distribution of 6 kgs of rice per special VGF card against an allotment of 10 kgs, said Atiar Rahman, a BNP leader and Gram Sarker chief at Shangalshi union under the same upazila.

Although there was no fresh death, 88 diarrhoea patients were admitted to five upazila health complexes and the Sadar Hospital in the last 24 hours ending at noon yesterday. Another 872 took treatment at the hospitals, district health control room said.

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Earlier, in 48 hours ending Wednesday noon, 106 patients were admitted to the hospitals.

Another makeshift treatment camp has been opened at Chander Hat village under the Sadar upazila, the control room said.

The Civil Surgeon however claimed that the situation is under control.

Doctors suspect that the diarrhoea in the district is unrelenting because the patients being attacked with a new type of germ which is stronger and more harmful than the typical diarrhoea germ.

But this is yet to be determined as report on stool culture is yet to reach from ICDDR,B Dhaka, doctors said.

The civil surgeon told this correspondent on Wednesday that the new type of germ might have been carried by the Teesta water.

Meanwhile, to create public awareness, different NGOs and social organisations are blaring health advice through loud speakers in the affected areas.

The government started distributing rice through VGF cards on September 30, amid speculation that the disease could be spreading as people were taking uneatable food due to food shortage.

The district administration yesterday said 308 tonnes of rice have been distributed in the district as test relief and more 638 tonnes will be distributed through 63800 special VGF cards.