Diarrhoea alarming in 3 districts

40 killed, 20,000 attacked in Tangail, Jamalpur and Sherpur: 4 die in Gaibandha
Star National Desk
Diarrhoea patients on the floor of Ghatail Upazila Health Complex.. PHOTO: STAR
Diarrhoea situation is alarming in Tangail, Jamalpur and Sherpur districts with the death toll reaching 40 so far.

Over 20,000 people have been attacked with the disease in last 45 days. In Gaibandha, the disease killed four people in the last two days. Another about 250 have been attacked.

Our Tangail Correspondent reports: Diarrhoea killed 22 people in Tangail, 14 in Jamalpur and 4 in Sherpur district in 45 days. The disease is spreading in remote areas of the districts.

In Tangail, the dead included eight children. Over 15,000 were attacked with the waterborne disease in eleven upazilas of the district, sources said.

Of the dead, 14 are in Madhupur, three in Ghatail, two in Kalihati, one in Delduar and two in Tangail Sadar upazila.

The worst affected villages in Madhupur are Musuddi, Khamarpara, Charpara, Shaya and Jhugna.

The disease is also spreading in Karimpur, Dighalkandi and Dewlabari in Ghatail upazila; Hugra, Katuli and Gharinda in Tangail sadar; Kashil, Bangra, Pichuti and Dapnazar in Basail; Zokarchar, Chockkhilda and Bilborni in Kalihati; Borni, Betjha and Dewlee in Delduar and Barati in Mirzapur upazila.

This correspondent while visiting upazila health complexes in Madhupur and Ghatail on Friday found diarrhoea patients being treated on hospital floors in an unhygienic environment.

Sources in Tangail District Health Control Room however said 10 people died from diarrhoea and 12 others from different diseases including pneumonia. Over 8,000 diarrhoea patients were treated in different government hospitals of the district, they said.

Unofficial sources however claimed that at least 15,000 diarrhoea patients took treatment at government hospitals and field treatment centers in the district.

An official at the control room said the situation is still under control and there is enough oral saline packets and other medicines in their stock. Besides, 117 medical teams are working in the district to combat the disease.

Among the dead, 11 are in Sarishabari, two in Madarganj and one in Islampur upazila.

Dr. Abdus Sabur, resident medical officer (RMO) at Sarishabari Hospital said the situation is normal and nine medical teams are working in the affected areas.

In Sherpur, at least four people were killed and 500 have been attacked with diarrhoea in different areas of Nalitabari upazila, where the disease is spreading, sources said.

At least 200 patients took treatment at Nalitabari Upazila Health Complex in last few days, sources there said.

Sources at Sherpur civil surgeon's office said several medical teams are working in affected areas.

Our Gaibandha Correspondent reports: Diarrhoea claimed four lives in last two days in the district. At least 250 people have ebeen attacked.

According to sources at the civil surgeon's office, at least 11 people die from the disease and 1365 were attacked in a week.

At least 175 patients have been treated in upazila health complexes while 62 others were admitted in the last two days, they said.

The dead are Fatema Khatun, 2, of Dakhin Santola village in Sadullapur upazila; Azizul, 60 and Rimon, 5, of Ujir Dharani in Gaibandha Sadar; Bahadur, 50, of Bhutmara village in Shaghata upazila.

"The situation is under control and we have adequate stock of IV saline", one source at the control room at civil surgeon's office said.

A total of 106 medical teams are working in seven affected upazilas, they said.