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DIMAPUR — At least three school-going children aged less than 15 years have died of a mysterious illness in Changlang village under Mon, situated about 64 km away from the district headquarters.
Changlang Students’ Union president, Wangkhao Angtok told Eastern Mirror on Wednesday that the first case came to light on May 23 when a boy passed away after a few days of illness, followed a girl on June 2 and another boy the following day at around 11.30 pm while on his way to a hospital in Aboi for treatment.
He said that all the victims showed same symptoms that include high temperature with fever, vomiting and diarrhea. The children died after a few hours of illness and no one is sure about it, he added.
Angtok informed that officials at the Health and Wellness Centre in Changlang, village council and the student body had reported about the health crisis to the office of chief medical officer (CMO) Mon.
He said the CMO Mon acted swiftly by sending doctors from the Mon Hospital to Changlang village. The serious cases were taken to Aboi and Mon for treatment, while those with mild symptoms were given medicine.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]‘The doctors are suspecting (contaminated) water to be the cause of the illness. But our village and other neighbouring villages source water from the forest. Such symptoms (illnesses) are common during summer season but lost of life have never been reported in the past,’ said the student leader.
There are also adults showing similar symptoms but majority are children, he said, adding that similar cases were also reported in the neighbouring Angjangyang village but no casualties reported from there so far.
The office of CMO Mon office on Wednesday collected water sample from the village for testing to find out the possibility of contamination.
Meanwhile, Angtok lamented that the Health and Wellness Centre at Changlang village has no doctors. The facility is run by one community health officer (CHO) and two nurses, while a pharmacist was transferred in 2022.
The nearest health centre for the villagers is Aboi, which is about 36 km away, and Mon town which is 64 km away.
‘The foundation stone for the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Angjangyang SDO (Civil) headquarters was laid last year, but there is no sign of nitiating the project till date. If the PHC is completed and starts functioning, the neighbouring villages will benefit from it. So, the department should start the construction of the health centre at the earliest,’ he appealed. For now, the people of Changlang village have to take patients to either Mon or Aboi for medical treatment by hiring a vehicle, he appealed.
For now, the people of Changlang village have to take patients to either Mon or Aboi for medical treatment by hiring a vehicle, he continued.