Holding centres face risk of disease outbreak
Summary
Flood-affected holding centres in Rasuwa are facing a rising risk of diarrhoea and other infectious diseases as overcrowding, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water persist. Health officials say the situation is still under control, but experts warn that stronger preventive measures are urgently needed to stop a possible cholera outbreak.
Key Points
- At least 81 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in holding centres in flood-hit Rasuwa over the past three weeks, with fever cases also rising.
- Health officials say the immediate risks stem from contaminated water, poor sanitation, inadequate toilets and overcrowding in temporary shelters.
- The Ministry of Health says it has distributed more than 21,000 cholera vaccine doses in Rasuwa and is carrying out sanitation, awareness and containment efforts.
- Public health experts, including Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, say current measures are insufficient and that monitoring and preventive action must be intensified.
