Diarrhoea claims nine more in 3 dists

In Lalmonirhat, the situation deteriorated in Aditmari and Patgram upazilas with over 500 people attacked with the disease in one week, local people claimed.

Over 200 people have been attacked in Gopalganj and another 60 in Gaibandha.

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Our Gaibandha Correspondent reported yesterday that one Ayesha, 50 and her daughter Shapla, 10, died at their house at Beltail village on Sunday. Thirteen year-old Sharifa Khatun died at Shaghata Health Complex on the same day.

At least 60 people have been attacked with the disease in the upazila in the last four days, official sources and local people said. The disease is spreading.

Local people complianed that health workers rarely visit the affected areas as they can not provide with oral saline and water purifying tablets.

Life saving drugs including I V saline have become scarce in local markets, local people said.

A Lalmonirhat correspondent reported that

Hamidul Islam, 4 and Khadija begum, 2, son and daughter of Mokajul Hossain of Deodoba village in Aditmari upazila, died of diarrhoea on Friday. The disease killed three year-old Feroj Mia, son of Aminul Islam of Khodapara village, on the previous day.

Diarrhoea has spread to at least 40 villages in Aditmari upazila, where at least 200 people have been attacked.

During a visit to the affected areas on Sunday, Mokajul Hossain told this correspondent that he took his son and daughter to Aditmari health complex but health officials there released them before they were cured. The two died at home, he lamented.

He said scores of diarrhoea patients are at their home without treatment in Deobhog, Mohishkhacha, Baragharia, Shaptibari, Khatapara, Bhadai, Madanpur and nearby villages in the upazila.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Saiful Islam was not available at the hospital.

A doctor there admitted that saline and other medicine were in short supply.

In Patgram, at least 200 people are suffering from the disease, local people told this correspondent during the visit. The disease killed eight people in different villages in the upazila in last two weeks.

Our Gopalganj correspondent reported that two lives and attacked more 229 in Gopalganj district in last seven days.

According to hospital sources the victims are one year-old Anik, son of Bablu Sheikh of Madhupur village under Gopalganj Sadar and Jafsar Singha, 55, of the Sadar area died from diarrhoea in the last three says.

Another 229 people have been attacked and the disease is spreading.

Scarcity of drinking water, saline and other drugs are prevailing in the affected areas.

When contacted, Ashima Barai, Senior Staff Nurse at Gopalganj Sadar Hospital however claimed that there was enough stock of saline and medicines at the hospital.

Ashraf Chowdhury of Manikdah under Gopalganj Sadar, whose son is under treatment at the Sadar Hospital told The Daily Star in presence of the nurse that he bought medicine from market as the hospital authorities did not supply it.