26 May 2019
Learning from the past, the Department of Health Services of Nepal has directed all the health workers in Jajarkot district to not stay on leave or seek deputation considering the seasonal outbreak of communicable diseases.
Anyone who is in dire need of a leave will be allowed to do so only after making an alternative arrangement, said Chief District Officer Lalit Kumar Basnet. This is part of the timely alertness being observed to avoid the incidents where many have lost their lives due to lack of timely treatment of various epidemics in the past.
It may be noted that 12 people died of cough and cold that spread in Junichande of the district in Magh, 2074. Likewise, seasonal flu took the lives of 27 people in Chait 2071 and Baisakh 2072.
Prior to this, 50 thousand people were affected by diarrhea and vomiting in 2066 in some remote villages of the district, where 153 died.
Though official data says 87 per cent of the people in the district have access to safe drinking water, contaminated water is attributed to the reason behind the spread of many communicable diseases.
The district has one hospital, three primary health centres and 31 health posts.
Of the 77 wards, 42 still lack a health post despite the government’s policy of ensuring one health post in one ward.
Furthermore, the existing health centres too lack human resources.
Meanwhile, resource persons at the District Health Office Krishna Bahadur Khatri said the Office is fully prepared to address any sudden outbreak of an epidemic.
