Nizamabad in grip of seasonal diseases

Nizamabad: With the onset of monsoon, seasonal diseases like malaria, diarrhoea, diphtheria and viral infections are on the rise in the district inflicting untold hardships to the people. Diarrhoea has already claimed three lives within a span of two days and 150 people were taken ill in Durki village.

The officials concerned have turned a blind eye to the spread of contagious diseases and the surroundings are unclean. They are not able to provide adequate medical services to mitigate the sufferings of the people. Starting in Navipeta, Bodhan, Machareddy, Domakunda, Dichpalli, Varni and Banswada mandals, these diseases have spread to other parts of the district very fast.

Several hospitals in the district are overcrowded with patients. With the spread of diarrhoea in the villages, people are forced to migrate to other areas. Due to the filth accumulated in various parts and lack of chlorinated water, people are falling sick.

Recently, a nine-year-old girl Fathima succumbed to diphtheria in Bodhan town while Gangavva and Murali died in Durki village due to dirrhoea. Within a fortnight, 21 people have died due to various diseases in the district. Dengue fever has taken a turn for the worse in the district with several cases being reported. Together, dengue and diphtheria claimed four lives in the district.

A total of 618 cases of dengue have been reported during the last four years and last year, 318 cases were registered. Along with it, leprosy is also on the rise affecting 150 people in Jukkal, Nizamsagar, Majnoor and Bichkonda mandals. The situation is even worse in villages and thandas. During this year, 174 cases of dengue were reported. At the Christian colony in Rakasipeta village of Bodhan mandal, it was reported that 400 people were suffering from viral infections. After a gap of four years, two people died due to diphtheria.

Furthermore, there are inadequate medical services in the district. In Banswada constituency alone, the government hospital is overcrowding with 150 out-patients every day while there are 100 in-patients. Even the private hospitals are teeming with hundreds of patients but the doctors are not enough to attend on them.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Saturday, patients and their relatives lamented that the facilities at the hospital were inadequate and alleged that the health officials were highly negligent. They said that nothing was being done to tackle the mosquito menace. They said that fogging machines and larva eradication machines were not being used in the 718 gram panchayats. Drainage cleaning works were not being taken up, they added.

The people expressed the hope that at least now, the health department officials and other concerned officials would realise the gravity of the situation and take some urgent measures to contain the diseases.

By R Bhoopathi