Viral fevers grip tribal people

Chinturru Agency (Alluri Sitaramaraju District): Due to poor sanitation and contaminated water, both tribal and non-tribal people at Tekubaka village in Chintur Agency of Alluri Sitaramaraju district are suffering from viral fevers. Medical and Health Department is yet to seriously work to control seasonal fevers in Agency area.

People suffering from viral fevers are unable to get blood tests at Area hospital and PHCs for lack of equipment. Hence, they are forced to approach private hospitals where they have to pay heavy fee, while some others are going to private hospitals in Bhadrachalam in Telangana State.

People are expressing anguish in view of the carelessness and indifference of the medical personnel. As doctors in government hospitals, PHCs, CHCs are paying little attention, they are rushing to Bhadrachalam in Telangana state for treatment and quick recovery. And poor people are left to their fate as they cannot afford to go to private hospitals in view of the high cost of treatment.

Patients alleged that doctors are not paying attention to their health issues. They are worried a lot as they are unable to diagnose whether they are suffering from Dengue or Malaria owing to lack of availability of laboratory tests.

Further, medicines are also not available, they added.

Locals said that there are hand pumps and other arrangements under Rural Water Supply Scheme for drinking water from River Godavari. Stating that owing to floods, sanitation is very poor in Agency areas, Tribal people demanded new District Collector Summit Kumar to take appropriate action for improving sanitation. They also demanded that medical personnel should be made available and urgent steps to check viral fevers.

Kunavaram Health Officer A Veni told 'The Hans India' that they have conducted lab tests for 22 people including tribals and non-tribals regarding viral fevers for the last two days. All the tests results are negative, she added. Stating that many of these people went to Bhadrachalam for treatment, the health officer informed that they would be conducting health camps in next week.

ITDA Chinturu Medical and Health Officer Dr P Pullaiah said that all steps are being taken to prevent viral fevers at Tekubaka village of Kunavaram mandal. He said that medical personnel found 22 people suffering from fever and a medical camp has been set up which will remain open for a week. Health workers were distributing medicines to patients, he added.

He said that after conducting medical tests, no malaria and dengue cases were reported in Tekubaka village. He said that the conducted a door-to-door study in Chinturu division, which revealed that stagnation of water in several houses. Every Friday, Health and Asha workers and other medical personnel will visit every house in their respective areas to advise people about not to have stagnated water around their houses to check breeding of mosquitoes. Dr P Pullaiah said that Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) to kill mosquitoes was completed at all tribal hamlets in the Agency.

Rampachodavaram ITDA Project Officer and Alluri Sitaramaraju District Joint Collector S Dhananjaya ordered the Medical and Health department officials for immediate action for quick treatment to tribals, who visit the government hospital. Dhananjaya enquired the medical personnel as to what steps were taken to prevent people from falling prey to viral fevers. He also enquired about the number of Malaria cases registered this year. The J-C asked the DMHO to submit details everyday regarding cases registered in government hospital.