Agency areas in grip of seasonal fevers

Vizianagaram: People in agency area are suffering from malaria and typhoid. Area hospital at Parvathipuram was flooded with patients the past 15 days. Doctors say that due to the rains the water may be contaminated and even the mosquitoes also the reason behind the spreading of diseases.

The people in Kandivalasa, Konavalasa, Kummarikunta and some other villages of Komarada mandal and Kitchada, Vannam in Kurupam mandal are in remote areas of the district and they did not have drinking water facility. Hence, they are forced to drink contaminated water.

Therefore, they are afflicted with diseases and they are consulting local private medical practitioners and if they are not cured, they are moving to nearest towns Parvathipuram Bobbili, Vizianagaram for better treatment.

Remote villages in Pachipenta, Kurupam, Salur, Komadarda mandals are worst-hit as thousands of people are being affected with malaria, typhoid and other diseases every year. This year, the district medical authorities have identified around 1,245 malaria cases till now.

Sarpanch of Kummarikunta village K Poli Naidu, said: “We have been consuming water directly from the wells, we know that it is not good for health, but we did not have other option than drinking that water. If the government provides safe water to our villages, our people will be protected from the diseases.”

V D Naidu, father of an engineering student, who has been getting treatment for malaria, said: “My daughter Vineela was affected with malaria. Doctors advised us to use 15 days course to get relief from it completely. High dosage of antibiotic and other tablets are being prescribed by the doctor. My daughter became weak after using those medicines.”

Dr K Nagabhushana Rao, superintendent of area hospital, Parvathipuram, said that patients from rural areas are coming to the hospital with malaria, typhoid and jaundice. “We are providing medicines and administering injections to cure them,” he said.

By Koppara Gandhi