LAHAN, Nov 5: In Lokharam Musahar Tole, Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality–5, Saptari, a diarrhea outbreak that claimed the lives of three members of a single family is gradually coming under control. According to Deependra Yadav, head of the health section at Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality, 26 of the 32 affected individuals have recovered.
Among those affected, stool samples from 11 people were tested using Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), of which five tested positive for cholera bacteria. Following the positive RDT results, samples from nine individuals were sent to the provincial laboratory in Janakpurdham for detailed culture testing, Yadav said.
“Since the culture reports have not yet arrived, we are preventing residents from moving elsewhere while continuing treatment and other precautionary measures,” he added. Initially, 26 people were asked to provide stool samples, but only 11 complied.
Neglected health response as diarrhea kills three in Musahar co...
“Out of these, nine initially and two later, totaling 11 samples, five came back positive for cholera,” Yadav said. “Currently, the outbreak is under control. Of the 32 affected, 26 have recovered. Five are receiving treatment at Gajendranarayan Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj, and one is under observation at the local health post in Lokharam. Their health is gradually improving.”
The Musahar settlement, living on government land, faces poor water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions. Most residents practice open defecation and 50 households rely on a single hand pump for drinking water. Waste management in this impoverished settlement is also a challenge. Families of five to seven members are often cramped into small huts, with limited space for proper hygiene.
According to Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality Chairperson Bidyanand Chaudhary, most residents are economically disadvantaged. Many men work abroad, sending money home from places like Delhi and Punjab, while women engage in agriculture and other labor to manage household needs.
“The Land Commission had planned to provide land ownership certificates to the underprivileged and build proper houses with toilets and water supply in collaboration with donor agencies, but the plan stalled after the commission was dissolved. Recognizing the sanitation challenges, I had initiated this project and will try to organize the settlement through alternative means,” Chairperson Chaudhary told Republica.
A local source added that constructing toilets everywhere immediately is not possible, but with cooperation from donor agencies, the process is expected to proceed soon.
The diarrhea outbreak in this settlement, which began on October 19, claimed the lives of one-year-old Sanjiv, son of Buchan Saday, on October 23; 66-year-old father Laxman on October 21; and four-year-old daughter Raghini on October 31. Subsequently, the local government and district health office focused on bringing the outbreak under control.
