Diarrhoea situation in greater Dinajpur alarming: 12 die

An 8-year-old child being treated by a medical team at a temporary camp in Kaharol upazila, Dinajpur. PHOTO: STAR

At least 12 people died and 2,000 others were attacked with the waterborne disease since Thursday. About 600 people were admitted to eight upazila health complexes during the period.

The dead are Rumi, 22, and her son Rumon, 2, of Birganj upazila; Singra, 55, of Ghoraghat; Barman, 2, of Hakimpur; Alam Jan, 35, of Hakimpur; Mokkaram Hossain, 4; Moriam Begum, 24 and Motiur Rahman, 22, of Parbatipur upazila.

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The worst affected areas are Biral, Khanshama, Kaharol, Birganj and parts of Parbatipur upazila.

Dinajpur Sadar Hospital and other upazila health complexes have reported shortage of oral and intravenous (IV) saline and other necessary medicine.

When contacted, Dinajpur Civil Surgeon (CS) admitted scarcity of saline and necessary medicine at the hospital.

In Thakurgaon, four persons died and about 1,000 others were attacked with the water-borne disease in five upazilas.

Thakurgaon Civil Surgeon (CS) told this correspondent, 500 patients were admitted to the hospital in 24 hours ending on Friday evening.

The dead are Sharifa Begum, 15, of Sadar upazila, Shilpi, 18, and her mother Taioba Khatun 42, of Baliadangi upazila, and Shuku of Haripur upazila.

Dabirul Islam, a lawmaker from Baliadangi upazila, told journalists that patients in his area are not getting sufficient saline and necessary medicine at the upazila health complexes.

Attendants of patients also complained of scarcity of oral saline and other medicine in the hospitals.

Admitting shortage of oral saline, Thakurgaon Civil Surgeon Dr MA Momin said the number of diarrhoea attacked people exceeded the record of last 10 years in the district.

He said several medical teams have been working in the affected areas. But the measure is not adequate enough, according to patients and their attendants.

During a visit to different upazila health complexes on Friday, this correspondent saw acute accommodation problem in the hospitals. He saw many patients including women and children were taking treatment on the floors and on corridors of the hospital wards.

Local people also alleged that diarrhoea broke out due to intake of uneatable things due to monga.