Bhuj (Gujarat), Aug 28 (IANS): Four children died over the past week due to due to water-borne disease at Moti Rohatad village in Gujarat's Bhuj Taluka, raising concerns among the 400-500 residents of the village, while seven others, including children, are currently undergoing treatment at the G.K. General Hospital.

According to local sources, the deceased children, identified as Saybha Karim Sama, Jasminbai Rasid Sama, Siddiq Sama, and Wasim Abdul Karim Sama, showed symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Their condition rapidly deteriorated within 5-6 hours, triggering panic in the area. The village sarpanch, Jumabhai A. Sama, has filed a formal complaint with the Health Commissioner seeking urgent intervention in the matter.

The symptoms observed in the affected individuals strongly suggest a water-borne illness, potentially linked to contaminated drinking water.

The district health department has dispatched a team to the village, where preventive measures, including house-to-house inspections and water chlorination, are being carried out.

The in-charge district development officer, Nikunj Parikh, confirmed that water samples have been collected and are being tested to determine the precise cause of the outbreak.

Village leaders have pointed to the Bandhi Dam, a nearby water source used for local irrigation, as a potential origin of the contamination.

Despite previous complaints of dead aquatic animals and livestock carcasses found in the dam, no action was taken, they said.

Compounding the crisis is the reported absence of doctors at the Khavda Community Health Centre (CHC) during nighttime, which has reportedly caused significant delays in treatment.

The gram panchayat has “urgently appealed” to the Health Commissioner for the immediate deployment of medical teams and to ensure that doctors are available at the CHC and the Dinara Primary Health Centre during night hours to prevent further loss of life.