Concerns over water-borne diseases in ESP

AT least three children have died and several others from the Sepik Plains area of Yangoru are fighting for their lives after contracting water-borne diseases caused by continuous heavy rains and flooding in parts of East Sepik province in recent weeks.
The three children, aged between one and six years, died last week at Kumbui and Makambu villages from high fever and dehydration.
A medical team from the Yangoru rural hospital travelled into the affected area last Friday to investigate reports of the pandemic and would report back to the provincial health office and the administration on how best they could tackle the problem.
Former ward member Pius Seri, who relayed the report on the mobile phone from his isolated Makambu village over the weekend, said it was the second time now for a major disaster to hit he village in less than five years.
Mr Seri said the first disaster in recent years which claimed more than five lives was whooping cough when he was the village councillor.
He said cases of diarrhoea among the people, especially young children, were high due to poor hygiene attributed by the adverse weather condition.
“Waste from the toilets have found their way into the water wells when flood water overflows, drinking water is not safe but people have no choice as there is no alternate water resources,” the former councillor said.
Mr Seri said depending on the assessment report from health officers, medical assistance should reach them quickly in order to save lives while the Government worked on providing a long-term solution to the ongoing water pollution during rainy season and shortage during dry spell.