One dies, many others fall sick after consuming Elephantiasis medicine

One woman died and many others fell seriously ill in Sindhupalchowk district Monday after consuming a medicine for Filaria disease (elephantiasis or "Hattipaile" in Nepali).

Bichari Bharati, 40, of Kadambas V.D.C-3 died a day after consuming the medicine for the disease which is transmitted by Mosquito and is a leading cause of permanent and long-term disability after leprosy.

More than three dozen people of the some five V.D.C’s of the district where the medicine was freely distributed by the government to build their immune against the disease also fell seriously ill after consuming the medicine.

Most of those who have fallen ill are children and elderly.

The Sindhupalchowk District Public Health Office has already dispatched a team of health experts to investigate what it called the “abnormal” side-effects of the medicine. nepalnews.com ag June 26 07