Sept 8: Diarrhoea haa claimed 20 lives and attacked 3,000 more during the past five days tn Bajitpur under Kishore ganj district

Different political and social groups. Including the ruling party's local branch, alleged non-cooperation and malprac tier of the thana health author-ities for aggravation of the situ ation.

“We suspect It is cholera, but clinically « cannot identify IL" said Thana Health Administrator (THA) Dr Md Itatem

When asked whether the sample was sent to the Institute of Public Health (IPH) or the •international Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research. Bangladesh (ICDDR.B) for testing. the THA said reluctantly: "We have requested for swab sticks ( a specially designed test tube for collecting diarrhoeal germs) from the district headquarters, but they have not send them yet."

The THA told The Dally Star that he had not contacted any one directly to procure the swab sticks, despite the rise in death toll

Just when the THA was explaining to this correspondent the supply and distribution of medicine, especially oral and IV salines — which he claimed was adequate — Akhteruddln Bhuiyan of Noahata village, a relative of a severely attacked patient, came with a request to provide the poor patient with a packet of IV saline from the hospital store.

The saline was prescribed by one Dr Hashem, a physician of the complex, but the patient was asked to purchase it from the market When his attention

was drawn to the Incident, the THA had no answer .

Meanwhile, the doctors were found busy writing prescriptions for the patients against cash payments on their letterheads sitting in their official chambers of the hospital.

One such prescription, ad vised by Dr Md A Motaleb for one Dlwjahan. 35. was produced before the THA who acknowledged It.

Villagers of Kallak, 1.5 km from the hospital where ftve persons died, told The Dally Star that they did not receive any government supplied medicine.

The health authorities failed to ensure any preventive measures like water purification tablets, local people said.

The villages have poor sanitation and mostly hanging latrines.

" We have only three tubewells for 300/400 families", said Banu Khatun. 35. of village Kukrai u nder Dtglrpar UP.

According to WHO standards. there must be a tubewell for every 20 families.

Meanwhile, local political ac ttvtsts demanded the area be declared a distressed zone' and emergency medical teams with preventive medicines be sent immediately They also want the germs tested for determining if it was cholera.

On Wednesday, the local unit of the Ganotantrik Blplobl Jote brought out a procession accusing the authorities of negligence in tackling the situation.

Knowledgeable people of the areas said: "With the flood waters receding fast, the Incidence of diarrhoea has marked a sharp rise."