Many Nepali workers in India have started to return home early for the festive season in fear of contracting the deadly virus that has so far claimed 20 lives in India. "I have returned home quitting my job due to fear as the disease is fast spreading in India," Birkhe Thapa of Jogbuda, Dadeldhura says.
"Many more are mulling returning home," Thapa adds. Thapa, however, was amazed at the lack of checkup on the Nepali side of the border despite high-level of alertness in India.
Harka Singh Kunwar of Bayalpata, Achham also returned home Friday through Gaddachauki taking a leave from his job in Mumbai. "I have returned home to save myself from the disease. I will only return after the disease comes under control," Kunwar says.
Many Nepali workers return home through the Gaddachauki point every day but the security personnel let them in after a brief interrogation. The government has set up heath desks at a few major border checkpoints but busy points like Gaddachauki don´t have such facilities.
"We only know that people have started to die of swine flu in India. How can we ascertain whether the returning Nepalis have swine flu or not?" says a policeman at the checkpoint. "We don´t even have masks," he adds saying security personnel themselves are at risk.
Kanchanpur District Health Office has provided a cassette about swine flu awareness to the Gaddachauki Customs Office. "We used to play the cassette thrice a day but have stopped doing so a few days ago after people coming to pay customs complained and put pressure to stop it," says a staffer at the customs office.
District health office has identified Kanchanpur district to be under threat due to the higher number of persons crossing over to Nepal through Gaddachauki. "But we don´t have health desk and equipment like masks, gloves and anti-viral drugs," says Kanchanpur district health office chief Shivadatta Bhatta.
"We had asked the Department of Health Services for help about a month ago but have not been able to follow up as we are busy dealing with the cholera epidemic," Bhatta reasons and reveals that he has again requested the center for help Tuesday.
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