Imphal, Mar 2 (NNN):An idyllic and nondescript New Wahong village located some 80 km north of Ukhrul district headquarters under Chingai assembly constituency has been overwhelmed by a mysterious disease claiming the lives of 4 children with many more needing emergency medical attention.
The inscrutable disease has claimed the lives of 4 children between the age of 6 months and 1 year in the last 2 months. At least 8 other children have been transferred and are now being treated in Ukhrul district hospital.
The symptom of the disease resembles that of dysentery with excessive vomiting, said a source.
Despite the fact that the mysterious disease has claimed predominantly young suckling, an old woman has reportedly died showing similar symptom.
People from the village lamented that far from getting emergency medical attention the suffering of the people has been multiplied with many children already affected and many more potentially in danger of contacting the disease.
This has been compounded by the fact that the village is isolated the people are living in abject poverty. Majority of the villagers have no means of taking their sick children to the district headquarters, let alone being able to afford hospital and medical expenses there.
On February 17 last, Dr Malik, medical officer in-charge of the district, had visited the village to take stock of the situation but had to return back to the district headquarters without spelling out exactly what the situation was.
A team of doctors comprising of the district chief medical officer Ch. Premchand, Dr Malik and a child specialist Dr L Narendra, has reportedly visited the village today the outcome of which is not yet made available to the media.
Given the gravity of the situation which has begun to resemble an epidemic, president and vice president of Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL), Isaac Mashangva and Shimreingam Jelly respectively have sounded an SOS signal, appealing the State government to act promptly in counterbalancing the disease before the situation gets out of control.
