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Rains add to ‘monga’, diarrhoea afflictions in Nilphamari
Our Correspondent
10/24/2005
NILPHAMARI, Oct 22: Four days of non-stop rainfall last week inundated the northern region thus further aggravating the monga (seasonal famine) situation in the district, sources said.
Monga accompanied by diarrhoea deteriorated the situation alarmingly creating untold miseries in the region this year.
Hundreds of people who lost their homes in the flood are still living in temporary flood shelters. These homeless and unfed poor are now victims of diarrhoea, which, as apprehended, has taken on an epidemic form. Hundreds of stricken people are arriving at their nearest health centres. Eight diarrhoea patients have so far died.
Diarrhoea section of Nilphamari Sadar Hospital with 8 beds is now treating 35 patients and most are laid out on the floor. There is an acute shortage of saline. Seriously affected patients do not have any isolated ward. There is also a shortage of doctors, as there are only 11 doctors in the hospital out of a minimum requirement of 21.
Diarrhoea broke out in all the 6 upazilas of the district -- Domar, Dimla, Jaldhaka, Kishoreganj, Saidpur and Nilphamari. 72 medical teams are working in the district round the clock. When contacted, DC Rabindranath Ray Chowdhury said the government has allotted 5 tonnes of rice and Tk 25 thousand for every upazila for the flood-affected people.
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