In the villages of Baitadi, the tendency to trust in superstitions (holy things) more than hospitals when sick has not yet been eradicated. Even in remote villages, people who go to the forest instead of going to the hospital when sick have often lost their lives.

Two children have died of diarrhea in Baitadi since April. They died while being taken to the hospital for treatment in their final stages. On April 13, Neeraj Bishwakarma, the 15-year-old son of Lal Bishwakarma of Surnaya Rural Municipality-5, died of diarrhea. 

Neeraj, who had been suffering from fever and diarrhea for three days, was taken to the district hospital for treatment, but he died in the hospital, said the deceased's father, Lal Bik. 'The village custom is to ask the village headman before going to the hospital, but it was too late to go to the hospital while preparing,' he said. 'I should have gone straight to the hospital without following the village headman.'

On July 26, Aarti, the 13-year-old daughter of Surendra Rokaya of Dilashaini Rural Municipality-4, also died of diarrhea. She had been suffering from diarrhea for two-three days. 

The family refused to take Aarti to a health facility for treatment, and she died, said Hadakot Health Post In-charge Birendra Bohara, who reached the house for treatment. “Aarti had been suffering from diarrhea for three days,” he said. “Instead of taking her to a health facility, they called a witch doctor and beat her up.”

Health workers had reached her house after her death. Bohara said that Aarti’s brother had diarrhea at that time and only recovered after taking medicine.

According to the data of the Health Office, Baitadi, 4,539 people in Baitadi had diarrhea in the last fiscal year. The head of the Health Office, Baitadi, Tirtharaj Bhatta said that all the patients recovered only after treatment.