Now fear of epidemic looms in Nepal

Cholera, diarrhea, pneumonia and flu are some of the infectious diseases doctors and other experts fear could reach epidemic proportions in quake-struck Nepal.

As a precaution, they have advised citizens to maintain personal hygiene to the extent possible.

"An epidemic is anticipated after every disaster; like there was an outbreak of conjunctivitis after the Bangladesh war," Pratap Narayan Prasad, head, department of emergency medicine at the T.U. Teaching Hospital here, told IANS.

The devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 has left over 7,000 people killed and more than 14,000 injured. It has also rendered countless people homeless, forcing many others to flee their homes out of fear.

According to Nepal's home ministry, over 200,000 houses have been destroyed and around 180,000 have sustained severe damage.

Infections can spread rapidly as many people are living outside, close to each other and in unhygienic conditions, says Sameer Thapa, emergency physician at the T.U. Teaching Hospital.

People are living outside in open spaces in unsanitary conditions. "They do not have access to disinfected toilets and have no means of sanitary provisions," Prasad said.

He said precautions need to be taken by them to avert an outbreak of diseases.

"Personal hygiene is a must. They should wear masks, wash their hands, not urinate and defecate in the open and eat clean food and drink clean water," Ganesh Gurung, vice chancellor, National Academy of Medical Science (NAMS), Bir Hospital, said.

With aftershocks still continuing, people fear going back into their homes.

"It's like a fear psychosis," a health expert from Thailand's Fort Surasi Hospital, who with his team set up a medical camp at Tokha village, said.

Ganesh Gurung agreed, adding that even those who have not sustained any injuries preferred to stay in the hospital.

"They camp here with their families and dogs...they are still scared of going back to their homes. We have sent around 20 people to a rehabilitation centre, assuring them that it would be safe there," Gurung said.

(Shweta Sharma can be contacted at shweta.s@ians.in)