One-third Population Facing Risk of Kala-azar: Report
THTonline
Rabin Giri
Dharan, June 24:
One-third of Nepal's population faces the risk of kala-azar with numbers going upto 8,007,323 in 2007 from what was 5,616,489 in 2006, a government report states. In 2001, some 5,500,113 persons were at the risk of this disease.
The report has been published by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).
Earlier, the disease, which is spread by sand flies, was prevelant in the Tarai but these days the disease has been found in the hilly region too.
In the last three years Nepal, India and Bangladesh have jointly agreed to eradicate kala-azar by 2015 and several donors have pledged and invested more than Rs 40 million in Nepal only but, surprisingly the number of kala-azar patients and people vulnerable to the disease has been constantly rising.
Special anti-kala-azar projects are underway in 12 districts including Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa, Saptari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Mahottari, Rautahat, Dhanusha and Udaypur, National Programme Director of Communicable Disease branch of EDCD, Dr Garib Das Thakur said.
"New kala-azar patients have been reported in nine hilly districts including Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Khotang, Ilam, Okhaldhunga, Surkhet, Palpa, Kanchanpur and Rukum," he said.
"Why the kala-azar is being reported in the hilly region is a serous matter and needs investigation," Dr. Suman Rijal, member of a World Health Organisation committee to investigate the communicable diseases, said.
THTonline
Rabin Giri
Dharan, June 24:
One-third of Nepal's population faces the risk of kala-azar with numbers going upto 8,007,323 in 2007 from what was 5,616,489 in 2006, a government report states. In 2001, some 5,500,113 persons were at the risk of this disease.
The report has been published by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).
Earlier, the disease, which is spread by sand flies, was prevelant in the Tarai but these days the disease has been found in the hilly region too.
In the last three years Nepal, India and Bangladesh have jointly agreed to eradicate kala-azar by 2015 and several donors have pledged and invested more than Rs 40 million in Nepal only but, surprisingly the number of kala-azar patients and people vulnerable to the disease has been constantly rising.
Special anti-kala-azar projects are underway in 12 districts including Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa, Saptari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Mahottari, Rautahat, Dhanusha and Udaypur, National Programme Director of Communicable Disease branch of EDCD, Dr Garib Das Thakur said.
"New kala-azar patients have been reported in nine hilly districts including Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Khotang, Ilam, Okhaldhunga, Surkhet, Palpa, Kanchanpur and Rukum," he said.
"Why the kala-azar is being reported in the hilly region is a serous matter and needs investigation," Dr. Suman Rijal, member of a World Health Organisation committee to investigate the communicable diseases, said.
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