By ALISON ANIS
A 12-year-old girl is among six people from Gulf admitted with cholera at the
Senior community health officer at the hospital’s main outpatient, accidents and death section, Farapo Kauoi, said the girl and five adults were admitted last week after the hospital discharged more than 40 people treated for cholera since New Year.
Kauoi, who has served as health officer in the province for 33 years, said they had treated more than 100 patients since the first outbreak reports in Gulf last October.
“There had been no deaths at the hospital since the first case was detected and I would like to commend the medical team and hard working staff of the hospital for their effort under very stressful conditions in treating and monitoring patients,” Kauoi said.
“We fear that more people will come after this so we are stepping up our efforts on awareness and other preventative measures especially in hot spot areas in the province,” Kauoi said.
Kauoi said people from neighbouring villages of Opau, including Silo, Mewaripi across
“Our first case was detected at Uamai village on Sept 7. Since then and up until Dec 31, we’ve admitted 62 patients. We have also received one child below five years of age and were able to maintain the young patient’s condition,” he said.
Kauoi said they had to convert the hospital’s outpatient area into cholera care centre as more patients came in.
“We have divided the outpatient into three cubicles and it is very risky situation right now because we are mixing people with cholera with those that are not affected.”
“We have been putting patients on the floor and some along corridors because of the small space.”
Kauoi also said the provincial government, and the health division had turned a blind eye on the situation and called on them to set up a cholera care centre at once to cater for expected increases of cholera patients from riverside communities.
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