Rangamati June 24 - As in previous years, this year too, more than fifty residents, primarily children, from several remote villages in Sajek, the largest union in Rangamati, have been affected by seasonal illnesses. Local sources report that the majority of the affected are children.
 
For the past month, residents of New Thana Para, Tarum Para, Shialdai Para, Arun Para, and Jam Para in the remote Betling Mouza, deep in the forest and several hundred kilometers away from the Sajek Union headquarters, have been suffering from symptoms such as cold, cough, headache, diarrhea, and stomach pain. The situation has recently come to light due to the continuous affliction of children and elderly.
 
To control the situation, a five-member team has started providing healthcare services at the site from Monday, confirmed Dr. Tapas Kanti Majumder, Health and Family Planning Officer of Baghaichhari Upazila. He mentioned that these extremely remote areas are only accessible on foot, taking at least two days. Despite this, immediate steps have been taken to ensure medical services as soon as the news was received.
 
A committee has been formed to investigate, led by Dr. Bishwajit Das, with SSCMO Malay Chakma, Assistant Health Inspector Kiran Shanti Chakma, Harin Joy Tripura, Satya Bikash Chakma, and Nalini Tripura as members. They have been instructed to visit the affected villages starting June 24 and submit their report after completing the investigation.
 
Local sources have reported that every year during this period, various diseases affect the residents of Sajek's remote villages. It takes at least two days to reach these villages from the Baghaichhari Upazila headquarters, making immediate medical treatment challenging. Therefore, there is no alternative but to send a health department team by helicopter to provide medical services promptly.
 
According to locals, over the past week, residents in these areas have been suffering from fever, cough, bloody vomiting, and diarrhea. There are no community clinics or medical service centers nearby, and the lack of road communication makes it difficult for medical teams and equipment to reach these villages quickly.
 
Data from the Baghaichhari Upazila Health Department indicates that 16 people in New Thana Para, 10 in Puratan Thana Para, 15 in Tarum Para, 5 in Shialdai Para, and around fifty villagers in Arun Para and Jam Para are suffering from fever, cold, cough, and headache.
 
Rangamati Civil Surgeon Dr. Nuen Khisa, acknowledging the situation, said that diarrhea is not the primary cause; rather, weakness due to fever might be a factor. A team of upazila health workers and BRAC has started working there, and more medical teams will be sent if necessary.
 
Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shirin Akhtar stated that the area is very remote, lacking sanitation facilities and sources of clean water, leading to outbreaks of diarrhea and other diseases during the monsoon season. There is no road communication to the area, and military helicopter assistance is needed to send medical teams promptly; the issue has been reported to the district commissioner.
 
Notably, in 2016, 2020, and 2023, at least 20 villagers, including 10 children, died from diarrhea and measles in these villages. To manage such situations, the Rangamati Health Department appointed Harin Joy Tripura and his wife Bini Tripura as health workers to ensure 24-hour presence in these villages. However, locals allege that the couple has been living at Harin Joy Tripura’s in-laws' house in Panchhari instead of being at their designated posts. Multiple sources confirmed that Harin Joy Tripura was absent from his workplace on Sunday as well. Local residents warn that if immediate medical services are not provided, there could be significant fatalities, as seen in previous years.
 
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