9 children dead due to diarrhoea in Arunachal's Tirap district 

At least nine children between aged 3-10 years have lost their lives while several others have been infected by a diarrhoea outbreak which has hit the remote Lazu circle in Tirap district.

Confirming the outbreak and resultant deaths at Pongkong village, Tirap District Medical Officer (DMO) in-charge Dr Obang Taggu informed that the cases were reported during the last two weeks "randomly" and added, “right now, the situation is under control.”

He blamed the consumption of contaminated water and open defecation, apparently in forests, bushes and nearby water bodies in the hilly areas, as most people of the scattered village used to collect running water.

Pongkong village is located about 9 km from Lazu.

Tirap's medical officer in-charge Dr Obang Taggu said that, “the exact reason was yet to be ascertained," and added that stool from the affected persons and water samples have been sent for laboratory testing to a private facility at the district headquarters Khonsa and Dibrugarh in neighbouring Assam for further analysis.

The DMO in-charge also said, “Because of their superstitious belief that some evil spirit entered their village and spread the disease in their village, the villagers are not cooperating with the medical team and other department. This is the main reason why so many people have died.”

“In case of dehydration, diarrhea, the people should come early to our hospital. But they are reluctant to come to hospital. Stigma, superstitious belief holds them back from moving the health facilities for treatment,” Dr Taggu said while stressing the pressing need to create awareness among the villagers.

Meanwhile, an official at the Tirap Deputy Commissioner’s office informed that the situation is being constantly monitored by local MLA Wanglam Sawin and DC Taro Mize and added that a medical team is being deployed at Lazu for constant examination and treatment.

Further, an ambulance has already been arranged to lift the serious patients from Pongkong and nearby villages to the District Hospital in Khonsa. The DC has further instructed the medical team to stay at the village community hall to monitor the situation closely and be available 24x7 for any emergency requirements.

He added, "Local students’ union and Panchayat leaders have been engaged to create awareness and convince the villagers to cooperate with the medical team as the latter had a hard time convincing the villagers to come for test and symptom assessment for they believed it to be associated with evil spirits."

Meanwhile, the medical officer of the NGO-run PHC at Lazu said that "the situation is improving."