Diarrhoea claims 4, attacks hundreds in Nilphamari

Patients are being treated on beds placed on the corridor as there is no room in the diarrhoea ward in Nilphamari Sadar Hospital. PHOTO: STAR

The victims are Ashikur, 7, Nabia, 80, of Kisamat Sonarai village, Amina,40, of Jamur Bari village and Rahima Bewa of Horihor village, all in Domar upazila.

Refuting reports of deaths, the District Health Control Room said Ashikur, Nabia and Rahima Bewa died of high fever, asthma and intestinal diseases. It expressed ignorance about Amina's death.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

According to the officials, 625 people have undergone treatment till yesterday in all the six upazila health complexes, two 50-bed hospitals and at the field health camps set up by the government. Six of the patients were stated to be in a critical condition. The worst affected upazilas are Nilphamari Sadar, Domar and Saidpur.

When contacted, Acting Civil Surgeon of Nilphamari Dr Abdul Majid said people are now suffering from the disease due to hot and humid weather now prevailing in the district. Because of joblessness in the lean period, people are taking inedible items that cause diarrhoea, he said.

Diarrohea situation has taken a serious turn in Sadar upazila in the last two days.

When visiting the diarrhoea ward of Nilphamari 50-bed Hospital yesterday, this correspondent found many patients undergoing treatment in the verandah, some even on the benches. The on-duty nurse of the ward informed that almost half the patients were children.

Motahara Begum,18, and her child Moslem,4,of Singdoi village in Sadar upazila were being treated on the same bed. Motahara said her husband recovered from diarrhoea recently.

Only three out of 10 physicians were running Domar Upazila Health Complex where a large number of diarrhoea patients come for treatment everyday.

However, the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFPO), Dr Mohamad Shoukat Ali told newsmen that the situation is under control. He disclosed that Medical Officer, Dr Dijen Chandra Barmon and Sanitary Inspector Dulal Hossain visited the affected villages of Jumur Bari, Kisamat Sonarai and Horihor villages in Domar upazila on Friday. He assured there is adequate stock of medicine and intravenous saline with them to cope with the situation.