Nepal hit by diarrhoea epidemic

By Joanna Jolly
BBC News, Kathmandu

Nepal's government has pledged to provide assistance after more than 100 people died from a diarrhoea epidemic in the west of the country.

Six thousand people have been affected by the epidemic in the district of Jajarkot and surrounding areas.

After an emergency meeting on Sunday, Nepal's prime minister pledged to send health professionals and medicines into the area by army helicopter.

But there has been criticism of the government's response to the epidemic.

Many of the victims live in remote villages - one to two days walk from major roads.

Local villagers report that taps installed to provide safe drinking water have dried up, forcing them to use bacteria-infected water from streams and wells.

The government has mobilised the army to help provide medical help and supplies to the victims.

But critics say the government has been too slow to respond to the epidemic, which was first reported in mid-June.