AP Govt to take up campaign against anthrax in Agency

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Tribal Welfare N Ananda Babu said that the government decided to take up a massive awareness programme to educate the tribals against consumption of spoiled meat and dead animal meat. 

The Minister said that anthrax cases have been increasing in the Agency areas due to consumption of the meat of dead animals. The Minister visited the King George Hospital on Sunday and interacted with anthrax patients.

The Minister also inquired about the facilities and treatment to the patients. Speaking on the occasion, Ananda Babu said that the medical experts had explained that there are three categories of anthrax cases.

In Visakhapatnam Agency area, the tribals were affected with the disease after they consumed dead animal meat. The government would take up massive awareness programmes particularly in tribal languages to educate them on the health risks due to consumption of meat of dead animals.  

As many 36 tribals were admitted on suspicion of anthrax and 29 were discharged after given treatment and seven people are undergoing treatment in KGH, the Minister pointed out.

Talking about various development and welfare programmes in the Agency areas, the Minister said that government decided to lay 2,000 km long roads in all the Agency areas and also launched new water supply projects at a cost of Rs 150 crore to ensure potable water to the remote hamlets. Principal Secretary of Social Welfare S S Rawat and Professor of Dermatology Dr Anila accompanied the Minister.