Contaminated water supplies lead to deaths in Ye township

Rai Maraoh, IMNA

Widespread reliance upon unclean waters supplies during this year’s hot season has lead to the outbreak of a deadly diarrhea illness in several villages in Mon State’s Ye Township.

Residents of villages situated near Ye town, including Zeiphyu Taung village, Azin village, and Chaung Taung village have reportedly been suffering from cases of diarrhea since late April 2010. Several individuals have already died from the illness.

During protracted hot seasons, such as this year’s, public wells in Mon state villages often run dry, forcing residents to purchase water from providers outside their communities.

IMNA’s field reporter learned that local water supplies in Ye town and its neighboring villages gave out in April of this year. Unfortunately the water supplies available for purchase this year are contaminated, and diarrhea illness continues to spread.

A doctor from Ye town who works at the local hospital informed IMNA, “In Chang Taung village and Azin village, some villagers have died. 2 villagers from Choun Taung already died because they suffered from diarrhea, but in Ye town no one has died yet, but many people have arrived at the hospital”.

“In Ye town hospital, many people were suffering [from the illness], but I don’t know the number, because some victims just stayed at the hospital for a few days. When I was at the hospital, two of victims were the same as me [sick with the same diarrhea illness]. It was mostly happening to adults,” said a recently recovered Ye town man.

He also informed IMNA that the medical staff at Ye town hospital has been providing family members of victims with preventative vaccinations to prevent the spread of the illness within households.

IMNA’s field reporter learned that all of the villages in the Ye town region contain Burmese government-run health departments; however, these health departments have yet to make any attempt to educate their communities about the recent diarrhea outbreak. Villagers reported that they have received no information about hygiene or living practices that might halt the spread of the illness, or how victims already suffering from infection should be cared for.