Srinagar, Aug 23: The diarrhea, which claimed two lives and left over 700 ill in central Kashmir’s Budgam district could be cholera as the patients have same symptoms and the authorities have started treatment on those lines.
 Sources told Greater Kashmir that the preliminary investigations suggested that the disease was Cholera and the health department was trying to hush up the issue to avoid international concern.
 In the past few days, over 700 people in Budgam villages including Reyar, Waterhaal, Kralnar, Harpanzu and Shoolipora were hit by the disease while over 150 people are still undergoing treatment at health care centres.

Cholera Fear
 Fearing outbreak of Cholera, the Health ministry is understood to have asked the administration not to let the patients leave the area for treatment outside. Besides, the administration is keeping a check that none of the teams from outside district visit the affected areas for any assessment.

The Symptoms
 The patients have been suffering of typical cholera symptoms like acute watery diarrhea and vomiting, which can kill a person within hours.

The Scene
 At Waterhaal some 12 kilometers from Budgam town, a group of doctors are running hospital services from a makeshift accommodation. Due to shortage of infrastructure, the medicos sleep in wards. “A group of local volunteers is helping us,” said a medico.

The Neglect
 Even though the Public Health Engineering department is under scanner for the outbreak of disease, the Department officials, sources said visited the affected areas only once. “The PHE officials along with DC got the water reservoir cleaned to some extent after our pleas. But since then they didn’t bother to come again or even provide chlorine tablets,” said a medico. “The local MLA didn’t bother to visit the area,” the locals complained.

Refusing Help
 To avoid “information leak”, the Health department is avoiding external assistance even from the Government Medical College. “An external Epidemiological investigation team should have been dispatched to ascertain the cause of waterborne disease, but till now, no such measure has been taken which clearly indicates that it’s a case of hush up,” said a medico requesting not to be named. The Directorate of Health however said there was no need of external resources as the department was using its staff for the job.

WHO Says
 Health experts said any case of Cholera has to be instantly reported to the World Health Organization for it happens to be an “international binding on report of such ailments.”

Govt Speaks
 Talking to Greater Kashmir Director Health, Dr NA Wani said only “a few” cases could be that of Cholera.
 “Yes I can’t rule out Cholera, but they could be only few cases say just one percent while 99 percent cases are of routine diarrhea,” he said.
 He said an antibiotic Doxycline was been given to the patients as the drug was potent to fight Cholera as well.
 The official, however clarified that the test reports were still awaited which would reveal whether it is Cholera or not. But he added that it was certain that the disease was waterborne.
 “Consumption of boiled water is the only remedy,” he said.

Minster visits
 The Minister for Sheep and Animal Husbandry, Aga Sayeed Ruhullah today visited the gastroenteritis affected areas of Budgam.
 He inspected the Sholipora water tanki and PHC where he interacted with patients.
 He asked the CMO to issue orders for round the clock duty of doctors in the centre so that the patients may not suffer. He also asked the officers to provide free of cost medicines to the patients.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST