By DAVID TERRY
PROVINCIAL Health authorities in the Oro province have reported an increase of diarrhoea cases along the coastline but these cases cannot be treated because of the acute shortage of drugs.
The Safia Health Centre near Ambassi on the north coast area and Katuna have reportedly run out of diarrhoea treatment drugs and urgent relief supplies are needed to treat the growing number of patients.
Although no exact figures on the number of patients were released, the reports stated that more people were complaining of abdominal pains, diarrhoea and respiratory problems.
The cases could be attributed to people drinking unsafe water from the contaminated river systems and urgent awareness should be made to warn people about the dangers of drinking unclean water.
Health authorities have recommended that medical supplies brought into the province by the Australian military and a barge from Lae should be delivered immediately along the coastline from Tufi to Ambassi to prevent an epidemic.
According to disaster relief coordinators in Popondetta, aid post kits containing diarrhoea treatment drugs and intravenous fluids will be urgently flown out to Girua Airport and Oro Bay by two teams.
The Australian military has also disbursed water treatment tablets to certain parts of the Oro province and will embark on a massive media campaign to educate people on how to apply the treatment, with emphasis on the dangers of drinking unsafe water.
Popondetta town residents who are also fetching water from Bangoho River for consumption, face the risk of infections, and the PNG Water Board is working around the clock to restore water using a bore pump and tank storage.
The Popondetta General Hospital has recorded a total of 23 patients with gastroenteritis illnesses – a medical term commonly referred to symptoms of diarrhoea.
Twenty of these patients were treated and released while threes were admitted to hospital ward.