TWO CHILDREN DIED OF MEASLES, SUFFER ABOUT A DOZEN

Ara, 11 January 2023, (RNI): Measles outbreak has spread its tentacles at Nagari Mahadalit Tola of Charpokhari block under Charpokhari police station in Bhojpur district and claimed lives of at least two children while about a dozen are still suffering. Seven of them have been referred to the Ara Sadar Hospital. A team of Health Department under the Civil Surgeon Dr Ashish Sinha and the World Health Organization (WHO) under the regional team leader Dr Ujjawal Prasad Sinha have rushed to the spot. Two doctors, five ANMs and one GNM and other paramedical staffs have been deputed in the affected area to keep vigil on the situation round th clock and also treat the affected persons.

Sources said that children of Nagari Mahadalit Tola were suffering from fever and red bubbles have appeared on their body for the last one week but the family members preferred quacks and exorcists for the treatment of their children that claimed two lives.

Doctors diagnosed the disease as ‘Khasara’ which looked like chicken pox. They said if Measles are overlooked for some days, it might be fatal and so the affected persons should take medicines on time. They said that unavailability of timely vaccination of Khasara vaccine is the root cause of outbreak of the disease.

The doctors further said that some diseases are considered in Indian village as a curse of god and so they prefer to go to exorcist and never bother to contact qualified doctors even in the age of 21^st century. The villagers called the disease as “Mata Dai” and people Mahadalit Tola resorted to prayer and went to exorcist for the treatment of children who were suffering from disease like Measles for the last two weeks.