According to Sher Bahadur Adhikari, exam superintendent at Jana Priya High School of Dasera, many invigilators as well as students from various schools of the district writing exams at the center have been affected by diarrhea."Many students are having trouble writing their exams due to diarrhea. Even invigilators deputed at the exam center are having problems," said Adhikari. "In the beginning, only two or three were suffering but it gradually spread to others," he added. A total of 521 students from four different schools are sitting for exams at Jana Priya High School.
Medical help was sought after after students started falling sick while writing exams. "I was badly troubled by diarrhea. I have to go back and forth to toilet and exam center. Drinking oral rehydration solutions (ORS) provided by health workers provided a little respite at least," said an examinee Ram Bahadur Thapa of Baluchha High School, Jhapra.
According to Assistant Health Worker Bishnu Giri, lack of access to clean drinking water and dirty environment caused the diarrhea outbreak. "Along with diarrhea, students are also suffering from headache and fever. All of these are caused by the dirty water and polluted environment," he said.
The diarrhea outbreak that affected the district in 2009 had claimed lives of about 400 people. Health workers have stressed on adopting precautionary method and taking timely action to avoid similar problem.
Locals have demanded attention from the government to control the outbreak. They are worried that the situation would turn worse if timely initiative is not taken.
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