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May
8, 2000
Kurigram,
May 7 (UNB)- Various diseases, including malaria and pneumonia, have
broken out in an alarming proportion in the district claiming 76 lives
in last 13 months.
Sources
at the district Civil Surgeon office said a total of 71,517 people
were affected with malaria, pneumonia and an unknown fever during the
period.
Of
the deceased, four died of malaria, 57 of acute respiratory infection
and others of fever, the sources said adding that majority of the
victims were children.
Of
the affected people, some 1,449 fell prey to malaria and 38,578
pneumonia.
Doctors
attributed the outbreak of the diseases to lack of public awareness
and inadequate treatment facilities, and in some cases negligence by
health workers.
Kurigram
is one of the 14 districts known as malaria zone.
The
officials said 32 people in Razibpur, Roumari, Nageshwari and
Bhurungamari upazilas of the district were affected with malaria
recently.
Dr
Debendra Nath Sarkar, a senior consultant (medicine) at Sadar
Hospital, said they tested bloods of 221 people in recent months and
of them were found afflicted with malaria.
He
said a housewife, hailing from Bhitarbandha in Nageshwari thana, died
of cerebral malaria at Sadar Hospital recently.
“Once
the district was declared malaria free and since then no effective
step has been taken to combat the outbreak of the disease,” said
another official insisting on anonymity.
When
contacted the civil surgeon of the district told the UNB correspondent
that a special programme has been taken up to combat the outbreak of
pneumonia and malaria.
He
said all physicians and health employees of the district have been
imparted training under the programme. “Steps are also there to
impart training to palli
chikithshaks (rural doctors) and medicine sellers,” he said.
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