Epidemic skin disease in Mahendraganj area

Desk

Tura, August 23, 2019: About 6000 people including children of the Mahendraganj area under Zikzak block in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya are infected by a contagious skin disease.

Men, women of all ages - pregnant, lactating mothers, kids, young children - all are infected with multiple featured skin diseases. Villagers say, more than 6000 people are infected with skin disease, of which 2000 are children.

Somewhat resembling eczema and pityriasis rubra, the infected area looks like rashes, dry patches, small boils in their bodies - in the under arm, belly area, skins of inner joints, ears, shoulders, breast ares of lactating mothers.

Many of these people are poor and uneducated.

Besides, the area is in the Indo-Bangladesh area of the state and government health schemes are not reaching the people of the region.

If appropriate interventions are not taken by the health department in the area, the epidemic may spread to other nearby areas.