Stigma and death

EDITORIAL

Nepal is still reeling under the deep-rooted beliefs in superstitions. There may be some ray of hope in the urban centres, but the people in the rural parts are still as superstitious as ever. The ever-expanding education reach too has not been able to make the people see reason on many matters, even in the 21st century. That a leprosy patient in Bajura, disowned by the family, has died due to neglect and lack of care in times when medical assistance can help cure the disease. It is unthinkable that people still believe that leprosy is the result of the person concerned being cursed by god for his/her sins. One may wonder at the working of the Health Ministry that has to detect such patients and bring them under the treatment regime. Ironically speaking, Nepal has a leprosy prevalence rate of 0.89 which qualifies it, according to the WHO, to have eliminated leprosy. However, that still does not mean that the country can bask in glory and not take stock of the leprosy patients who might be scattered around the nooks and corners of the country. This calls for greater vigilance for

which the mobilisation of health workers, supported by the local leaders and social workers is essential. One just wonders as to how the local level health

and social workers missed out a patient in their

vicinity. It cannot be more that indifference or shirking responsibilities.

One person may have died as a result of neglect arising out of superstition regarding the disease of leprosy which can be cured if timely medical treatment is available. In this context, it would be fitting to note that in the past years alone hundreds of people in many western districts have died from gastroenteritis and cholera, both of which could be prevented with the intake of fresh food and potable water. This just shows how we are lacking in these, particularly in the remote regions of the country. When the government cannot even make arrangements to supply clean drinking water to all the people, tragic deaths cannot be avoided. As for the health posts and centres, they often lack the basic medicines like cetamol and ORS. With such as state of affairs, the ‘health for all’ campaign is bound to flounder. What it all means is that the government and the political leaders are oblivious of the plight of the ordinary folks especially those residing in the rural parts of the country. How can they call themselves to be at the service of the people. Moreover, the political bigwigs consider themselves as elites, and think that they are doing a great favour to the people by talking about consensus on the yet-to-be-drafted constitution. A new constitution is necessary but not at the cost of the plight of the people.

There are many relief measures that the people need, yet the government wants to extend its tenure by any means, while the opposing political parties wants to dislodge it. In all this tug-of-war,

no thoughts go out to the people surrounded by woes of all sorts which, in fact, should have been resolved as their right. No political leader or party can

call itself people-oriented until people like Theche BK of Bajura die because of the lack of health care and outright apathy

Smooth operation

In contrast to the earlier apathy, it has been reported that the government is to deploy Armed Police Force (APF) personnel to guard the power house and dam construction of the Upper Tamakoshi Project, which is to generate 456 MW. In fact, this seems to be a move in the right direction. The country has been only been able to add 5 MW in the past year compared to an increase in the demand for 100 MW. What has been seen is that there have been regular obstructions of the many hydro-power projects in the country leading to delay in their construction together with increasing the costs. If the deployment of police personnel works fine, many a unnecessary obstructions could be stopped.

For one thing, it is mostly the local people who have to be appeased while a power project is under construction. Therefore, it calls for the power project developers to have cordial relations with the local people through offering them a chance to be shareholders and provide a certain percentage of the power produced to the local areas. Such an arrangement would help in eliminating bad blood.