Report: Three infants dead from ‘epidemic’

Org. seeks urgent govt. intervention Dimapur, March 25 (EMN): Four infants under the age of five years in Manipur are said to have died from measles, an organisation informed on Sunday. The Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) issued a press release on Sunday informing that an ‘epidemic’ was on in Phoklong village of Tousem sub-division in Tamenglong district of Manipur. ‘The ZYF expressed pain for the four children namely Etisiele Newme aged four years; Etaniela Pame aged four; Elungleing Pame aged four; and Heiguatung fewer than one year due to epidemic outbreak suspected to be measles at Phoklong village. It is learnt that sixty to seventy children are still suffering from the illness,’ the group stated. According to the youths a medical team from the district hospital of Tamenglong visited the village twice besides treating and distributing medicines. In the backdrop of the alleged medical emergency, the organisation has questioned the Manipur government about what it was doing to curb the problem. Here, the statement blamed the government for neglecting stated region. “The state govt. should not neglect those villages especially Phoklong village which is located in the interior areas of Tamenglong district rather special attention should be given with specific measures and arrangement to tackle in the event of such an alarming situation,” the group stated. ‘The untimely death of those innocent children due to such epidemic outbreak could have been averted had the state govt. adopted specific remedial measures to tackle with the onset of warmer season since this type of epidemic is common in the interior areas.’ It is learned, the ZYF stated, that the condition of some of the children was serious and needing special attention. The ZYF expressed sadness that there was “no plan on the part of the state govt. to evacuate and treat those children’s who are still suffering from the illness and also no specific steps such as extending financial assistance to next of kin and necessary assistance to those suffering children whose families are economically poor.” The group gave updates too saying that the village authorities had closed down the schools in the areas for the past few days fearing that more children might suffer if they mingle. The youth front has demanded the govt. extend financial assistance to the families who had lost their children besides to those children who are said to be affected. That way the affected may be able to meet medical treatment costs at the earliest and to recover, the statement added.