Ranchi, Aug. 16: Diarrhoea has acquired epidemic proportions in Pakur district, 390km from here, with 100 cases and 16 official deaths being reported in a month.
Dushni Devi (40) of Maltola village under Barasinghpur panchayat today became the ninth victim from Pakuria block while the other seven deaths have been reported from Littipara. Civil surgeon Nalinikant Mehra said at least four of the fatalities were reported among particularly vulnerable tribal groups.
"Our surveillance and epidemiology team has traced the outbreak to contaminated water. Health centres have been provided with medicines to tackle the situation. We are also organising camps at different places. Three camps have already been held in Pakuria and Littipara blocks," Mehra said.
The civil surgeon's office has issued prevention guidelines to health centres across the district.
"The situation is not alarming, but cannot be neglected either. Doctors are taking care of admitted patients while ANMs and sahiyas are paying home visits to identify suspected cases of diarrhoea, which can facilitate early treatment and recovery. They have been asked to share general information on drinking clean water and keeping surroundings cleaner," Mehra said.
Unconfirmed sources said the diarrhoea toll in Pakur was much higher because many didn't turn up at health centres and succumbed to the disease at homes. The worst affected villages in Littipara, they said, are Jamkundar, Gamharia, Chhotachakan, Badachakan and Dhumsi. In Pakuria, most victims are from Durgapur, Nawada and Pyadapur villages.
"More than a dozen villages in every block are grappling with diarrhoea. The health department is yet to realise the gravity of the situation. Those admitted to health centres do not have access to all medicines. The need of the hour is ambulances to bring patients from far-flung villages to health centres in time," said Arshad Iqbal, a resident of Pakuria block who a relative to the outbreak.
Not just Pakur in the east, Garhwa district in the far west of Jharkhand is also experiencing diarrhoea deaths, albeit at a subdued level. Two persons died last week in Kandi block, and local health officials have insisted that these are stray cases and not symptomatic of an outbreak like Pakur.
Sources in Pakur claimed that since state health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi is a native of Garhwa, the district boasted the privilege of additional precautions and extra care.
Great escape
A murder undertrial, Barka Murmu, who was admitted to Sahebganj Sadar Hospital for diarrhoea treatment on Monday, escaped from the premises on Tuesday.
