Eight die from diarrhea in West Sumatra

Eight die from diarrhea in West Sumatra

Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang

At least eight people have died and 38 others were still
undergoing intensive medical care Thursday from cases of severe
diarrhea in Pasaman regency, some 170 kilometers north of the
provincial capital of Padang this week.

Abdul Rival, chief of the local health office, said here that
diarrhea outbreak has plagued the Sarasah Village in Lembang
Malintang subdistrict since villagers began consuming ground
water that was contaminated by a nearby river.

"The diarrhea broke out in the village after it had been
inundated by a recent flood," he said. "We have asked villagers
several times not to consume their ground water, but they have
ignored the warning."

He said the eight, mostly children, died before getting
medical treatment, and that his office has had to dispatch vital
medicines such oralit, antibiotics and vitamins to assist those
undergoing medical treatment at a public health center in
Pasaman.

Rivai said the villagers were having difficulties getting to
the public health center in town because their village was so
isolated that they had no modern transportation means.

This is the second time the regency has been plagued by
serious episodes of diarrhea this year. The first occurred in
March, killing dozens of children in several villages in the
regency.

Rivai said that, besides providing drugs, his office has sent
a medical team to the regency to prevent the diarrhea from
spreading further to other villages.