Notes on Public Health

Jhapa Nepal, 29 Jan 2009, Following the outbreak of bird flue in birds in Kakarvitta Jhapa, active surveillance of avian influenza is being done in the area by District Public Health Office. No suspected avian influenza case has been found during active surveillance of more than 100 households so far. 

22 January 2009, Jhapa Nepal, More than 27000 chickens, ducks and pigeons have been killed and culled by Rapid Response Team in Kakarvitta Jhapa Nepal.

Surveillance of human bird flue has been started in the affected area. Households will be visited for suspected Influenza Like Illness (ILI) cases. Surveillance team has found a ILI case Gita Thapa from Dhulabari and kept under isolation and treatment in Mechi Zonal Hospital. Now her condition is normal.

Government of Nepal has declared first bird flue case detected in Jhapa on 16th of January. Lab investigation of specimen collected from dead chickens in Mechinagar-10 Jhapa has found H5N1 virus. Following the laboratory report government has set emergency area covering 3 KM radius of house of Ramesh Karki Mechinagar 10. Culling of chickens or birds has began from 18th of January in the area. Culling process was delayed due to resistance of farmers since compensation announced by the government is very low.

Government of Nepal has decided to make delivery service free across the country from 14 January 2009. The cost covering normal and scissoring section will be reimbursed to all health institutions accordingly by Ministry of Health as Regional Director Dr N.P. KC said in a regional workshop today in Biratnagar.  

In Nepal, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is 283 per 100,000 live births in 2005 and which is expected to lower as 250 by the year 2009 in the country as government plan. However, the MMR is being considered still higher in the region.

In response to outbreaks reported from Siliguri West Bengal India, Nepal has taken necessary actions to prevent transmission of Bird Flue in adjoining districts of Nepal.  District Livestock Office (DLSO), Quarantine offices and local administration authorities in Jhapa and Morang districts now intensified their actions as checking import of poultry, chickens, birds and its products from cross border. Civil societies, poultry farmers and businessmen are also being active in this control program in Kakarvitta Jhapa.

दादुरा खोप कार्यक्रम झापा जिल्लामा सफलतापूवॅक सम्पन्न भएको छ । अभियानका क्रममा जिल्लामा पाच वर्षमुनिका करिव ९५ पतिशत बालबालिकालाइ खोप लगाइएको छ । हाल भूटानी शिविर र माओवादी शिविरमा समेत खोप लगाउने काम भइरहेको जिल्ला जनस्वास