"The Health Ministry did not work effectively," he said, addressing the discussion between government officials and representatives of donor agencies. The donor agencies had been called at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar today for the consultation on providing relief to the diarrhoea-hit families.

Prime Minister Nepal committed to control the disease even if that means declaring mid-western and far-western regions “emergency zones”.

He also called on the donor agencies to assist in providing relief to the bereaved families.

The government on Thursday decided to introduce a ‘special relief package’ for Jajarkot and neighbouring districts to combat the diarrhoea outbreak that has taken the region into grip for the last three months.

More than 150 people have died in Jajarkot alone since the outbreak and the disease is spreading rapidly to the surrounding districts.