Contradicting the government figures for death toll from the outbreak, the Maoist party also claimed that 365 people have already died of cholera, and the situation in the district is much more serious than reported by the government. The Ministry of Health has put the total death toll at 264 by Monday.
“Over 365 people have died of the outbreak, while 60,000 have fallen ill,” said Maoist leader Giriraj Mani Pokharel at a press meet in Kathmandu on Tuesday. “We are yet to collect the complete data as the disease has spread in the remote hill districts,” said Pokharel. But the Ministry of Health has dismissed the Maoist data. “The government should disseminate true information,” said Dr Sudha Sharma, acting secretary at the Ministry of Health, adding that the Maoists might have counted also those who died of other diseases.
The party has also demanded that the government provide drinking water and food in the disease-hit regions. Under its Integrated Public Heath Campaign, the Maoist party has mobilized health volunteers in Jajarkot, Rukum, Dolpa and Kalikot.
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