Scared Villagers of Teetwal Stage Protests After 5 Die of Typhoid

KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR

The outbreak of typhoid causing death of five people, including two women have triggered off strong anti-government demonstrations in the remote village of Teetwal in Tanghdar sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Locals told Srinagar based Global News Service that the villagers today hit the streets in Tad village of Teetwal here and staged protests against the alleged callous attitude of the government, especially the health department. The protesters said that five people including two women have died due to a disease but the government does not bother to send a medical team to the area to contain the situation.
“Five people have died so far but the government seems unmoved. We have been left by the government to die,” Sarpanch Tad, Mohammad Yaqoob Mughal said.
He said despite repeated assurances, even the health officials didn’t turn up in the panic hit village to examine the people.
Taja begum (55) wife of Abdul Hamid Mughal, Zohra Begum (50), wife of Muhammad Ismail, Ghulam Mustafa (50), son of Muhammad Aalam, Qazi Khushal (40), son of Abdul Rouf and Abdul Hamid (50) son of Firdous Qureshi, all residents of Tad, according to the locals have died since July 10.
“Besides, five more persons have fallen ill and are currently admitted in hospitals. They include Bilquessa, wife of Shabir Ahmad Mughal, Khadija, wife of Mumtaz, Muhammad Rafiq, son of Darya Muhammad, Safoora Begum, wife of Muhammad Aarif Mughal and Ruksa Begum, wife of Imtiyaz Ahmad Mughal,” locals said.
Dr Naseer Awan, HoD Medicine at the SMHS said that the enteric fever, a potentially fatal multisystemic illness, has broken out in the village due to the consumption of contaminated water.
“The officials must collect the water samples and get it tested at a laboratory in Srinagar. Besides, medical camps should also be held in the village to examine people,” said Awan, who is also an inhabitant of the affected village.
He said there was also a need to create awareness among the people about the consumption of clean drinking water. He said the people need to be informed that the water should be consumed after boiling it for over 10 minutes.
“Even chlorine tablets should be distributed among the masses. This will surely help to contain the water borne diseases to a greater extent,” he said.
Awan said that the people should visit the doctors instead of compounders if they develop the fever. He said the compounders don’t know the regime of treating the disease and mere injections won’t cure the patient.
“The compounders don’t know which injections are required, the dosage and other things. They don’t even know about the course of medication. So, the locals should report to the doctors instead of them,” Awan said.
He said the disease can only get cured after persistent treatment and regular examinations.

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