National
Banda affects bid to control dengue
Health officials in the district said they are unable to control dengue, a mosquito-borne disease which has been spreading in Birgunj Sub-metropolis and surrounding villages since mid-August, due to the indefinite banda enforced by agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha in the region.Health officials in the district said they are unable to control dengue, a mosquito-borne disease which has been spreading in Birgunj Sub-metropolis and surrounding villages since mid-August, due to the indefinite banda enforced by agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha in the region.
At least 18 patients have been diagnosed with the disease since August so far, said Ram Shrestha, director at the Birgunj-based Bhawani Hospital. According to him, most of the patients are from Dry Port area, Gahawa and Radhemai in Birgunj. Others were from neighbouring Bara and Sarlahi districts. Likewise, one Indian national suffering from the disease also received treatment at the hospital, he said.
District Public Health Office chief Arun Kumar Mahato said his office could not launch “search and destroy” campaign this year owing to the banda.
He, however, claimed that the number of dengue patients decreased this year due to the effective precautionary measures such as anti-mosquito spray and fumigation campaign
carried out last year in coordination with Birgunj Sub-metropolis.
Last year, around 100 patients from Gahawa, Adarshanagar, Ranighat and other areas in the sub-metropolis received treatment for the disease, which is spread by mosquitoes belonging to Aedes Aegyptii genus. Symptoms of the disease include high fever, headache, muscle and joint pains.