Typhoid fever running rampant in Shella; HYC demands enquiry into causes

Staff Reporter

Shillong, April 25: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded an enquiry into the causes of the high fever amongst the residents of Shella village and its adjoining areas besides providing adequate medicines in Ichamati CHC and Shella PHC for treatment of typhoid fever.

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A memorandum in this regard was submitted jointly by the HYC central body and Shella Area Unit to the District Medical & Health Officer (DM&HO), East Khasi Hills for his necessary intervention.

“We demand that the necessary medicines for the treatment of typhoid should be made available at the earliest in Ichamati CHC and Shella PHC as well as to conduct a necessary enquiry into the causes and to also conduct awareness program on the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of the disease,” the HYC said.

It urged the DM&HO to take serious note of the non-availability of important lifesaving medicines in Shella PHC and Ichamati CHC, under Sohra Civil Sub-Division.

“We were informed that a particular patient, a young kid, with high fever, visited Shella PHC today, April 25, 2023, and during an investigation, it is found that he had typhoid fever but the said PHC cannot treat him there due to non-availability of medicines and hence for treatment of the typhoid fever he was referred to Ichamati CHC, which is around 13-15kms away, but on reaching the said CHC, it was informed that the necessary medicines are also not available in the CHC at present and hence he was further referred to Sohra CHC, which is around 45 Kms from Shella Village,” the HYC said.

“This is totally unacceptable as the said Ichamati CHC, being the First Referral Unit (FRU) from the adjoining PHCs, which cater to a population of thousands of Villagers, does not even have stocks of life-saving medicines to treat a disease like Typhoid fever and this has put the life of that particular patient and others who are suffering from such type of disease at a great risk, which may even lead to a loss of precious lives,” it added.

Stating that typhoid fever is caused by bacteria and a person with typhoid may be a carrier of the said disease and thus infect other people also, the HYC requested the DM&HO that necessary direction may be given to the concerned health officer(s) in Shella PHC to conduct an enquiry or tests of the patients having fever in the village to find out the causes, to conduct awareness program in the Village regarding the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of the disease and any other measures necessary as per protocols to check the spread of the disease and prevent any major outbreak which may lead to loss of precious lives of our villagers.

Upscaling Hobby to Business- the story of Harador Khariong’s Plant Parenthood

“If done with full commitment and passion whether it’s art, science or music, one can achieve their goal to make things work better and the satisfaction you will get is beyond your imagination”— Harador Khariong, Founder-Plant Parenthood

For Harador Khariong, a resident of Wahingdoh Shillong, East Khasi Hills Meghalaya, Plant Parenthood started as a hobby and out of love for plants during her college days. This eventually became more interesting and turned to be a career option in planting in the year 2020, especially succulents because they were relatively easier to take care of.

It was during the Northeast Food Show 2022 that Harador saw few entrepreneurs with their stall under the umbrella of PRIME, after which she learned in detail about PRIME and how it has helped entrepreneurs succeed in their business. Therefore, in the same year she enrolled herself in the Pre – Incubation batch 3.

Through the PRIME’s Pre-Incubation program, she learned more about upscaling her business and ultimately launched the ‘Plant Parenthood’ initiative.

This article has been featured in collaboration with PRIME Entrepreneurship Meghalaya. To know more about PRIME, visit: https://www.primemeghalaya.com/