Diarrhoea outbreak in Jajarkot and adjoining districts has sounded the alarm bell.

In 2007, the Nepali government had come up with a plan to make health facilities and medicines available at all health posts free of cost. Government officials say the plan is being implemented sincerely, but recent case proves otherwise.

The recent diarrhoea outbreak is a case in point.

Though remoteness and lack of awareness are pointed out as causes behind epidemics in Nepal, the fact is, improper and insufficient deployment of health officials have resulted in the spread of the disease and the loss of many lives.

The moot point is: Are health care centres in rural areas able to cope with crises?

"Definitely not. It's ridiculous to launch plans that are not implemented. Instead, the government needs to come up with stringent rules related to deployment of health care professionals in addition to provisions of free treatment. Lack of trust in health care centres in rural areas prevents people from visiting them," says a medical practitioner preferring anonymity.

Health Secretary Dr. Dirgha Singh Bam advocates government initiative in providing health facilities and free medicines, but he underscores the urgent need for a new health policy. "The health system, envisaged years ago when the country had a population less than almost one third of today, cannot suffice," Dr Bam says.

The fund allocation for the health sector is too meagre. "The government should at least spend 10 percent of its total budget on the health sector," says Dr. Bam. Currently, the government allocates about seven percent of its total budget to the health sector. There has been no increase in the number of hospitals to meet the needs of the ever-growing population.

Political intervention is yet another major problem, Dr Bam points out. "Why does unnecessary reshuffling of medical professionals take place every now and then? This hampers proper implementation of any government programme," he adds.

Toll on rise

The raging diarrhoea epidemic spreading across Jajarkot district for the past three months has claimed six more lives. With this, the death toll has reached 112.

According to District Public Health Office (DPHO) Jajarkot, five-year-old Lokendra Rawat of Paink VDC-5 died of the disease on Monday. Five people - Manika Basnet, Shanti Basnet, Kali Tiruwa, Bhabi Tiruwa and Naini Rokaya - died on Sunday.

In Dolpa, four kids died due to an diarrhoea at Juphal VDC in the last two days. Four-year-old Bishnu Dangi, three-year-old Juna Shrestha, four-year-old Nanda Bahadur Karki and Nanda Prasad Dangi's newly born baby died. DPHO Dolpa said a medical team had been already dispatched to the affected area.

Similarly, diarrhoea claimed one more life and scores others were taken ill in Dadeldhura district. Bipul Ghimire of Gopghat died while undergoing treatment at Team Hospital on Sunday night. Dozens of people are suffering at Belapur, Koteli, Manilek and Gopghat area. Likewise, two people died due to diarrhoea in Surkhet and Dang district on Monday.

--The Kathmandu Post/ANN