Jajarkot officials returning due to strict direction of Chief Secretary

Following strict directive of Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel, officials of Jajarkot have started returning to villages of the district by even travelling during the night. After being informed that officials of villages had been staying in the district headquarters when epidemic of seasonal flu and swine flu was spreading across the villages, Chief Secretary Poudel had issued directive that officials not returning to the villages immediately would be subject to suspension. Chief Secretary Poudel, who reached headquarters Khalanga yesterday to take stock on the conditions at the affected regions of the district, issued the directive to this effect to Chief District Officer Jagat Bahadur Basnet. He had directed CDO Basnet to apprise him promptly on actions taken on VDC secretaries, health workers and other officials who were not in the villages during times of difficulty. Among officials who have returned overnight to the villages fearing action are staff of Development Committee, Livestock Service, Agriculture Development Office, Forest Office and Health Office. With aggravation of the epidemic, health workers who were on leave are also back at work. Chief Secretary Poudel has given assurance of taking initiative to upgrade the capacity of the district hospital to 50 beds at the earliest. Elsewhere, a team of Health Ministry Secretary Shanta Bahadur Shrestha and Professor Dr. Govinda KC, equipped with medicines, have headed to Khagenkot in the district for supervision. The District Health Office has informed that the epidemic of seasonal flu and swine flu is in course of coming under control. The death toll due to the illness has already reached 28, while more than six thousand have been taken ill.