Mid-west epidemic sees youth response

Paschim Paaila, a campaign launched by the Nepali youth in response to the diarrhoea epidemic in mid-western Nepal, organised an assessment and planning session in the Capital on Tuesday. The meeting analysed the experiences of the volunteers who had gone to the diarrhoea-affected districts.

Paschim Paaila was initiated immediately after the first outbreak of the epidemic in the first week of July, and has sent 63 volunteers to Jajarkot, Rukum, Surkhet, and Dailekh districts. The first team left for the districts on July 23 for a period of two weeks, and the second team left on July 29 for a week.

The volunteers shared their experiences in the districts and made their recommendations through five presentations. 

Dushala Adhikari of the team that went to Jajarkot said that poverty, chronic malnutrition, and lack of sanitation and awareness were the major problems in the area, and that the outbreak could not be controlled without checking those first. Ashok Kumar, a student who went to Dailekh, gave a lively presentation about the poverty and illiteracy in the region, and suggested that education would be the first step towards solving the problem. The absence of toilets in the region was also a major cause of concern.

Bhushan Tuladhar, director of Environmental and Public Health Organisation, said that it was the vigour and willingness in young people that had made a rapid response to the outbreak possible.

Paschim Paaila will send more volunteers to the epidemic-affected region. Apart from sending volunteers to the districts, the organisation has produced 20,000 bottles of water purifying solution.