VIJAYAWADA: What caused the deaths of 16 tribals in Chaparai village of East Godavari district recently remains unclear as the Medical and Health Department claimed the tribals died of food poisoning even as officials attempted to hush up the rising number of viral fever cases in the region.
The Health Department on Monday said the villagers had drank water from a stream in which the carcass of a cow was rotting, despite having six borewells in the locality. “Around 375 people of the village depend on stream water for drinking, cleaning and other purposes. The carcass was in the stream for 15 to 20 days when the villagers were served its water at a marriage feast. It was used to make food too.”
Even though people have been falling sick for last 22 days, officials were unaware of it as “no one had brought the issue to the Integrated Tribal Development Agency’s (ITDA) notice”. In the last 22 days, 16 have died of alleged food poisoning and 32 are undergoing treatment.
Of the 32, four children have been identified as anemic and two have undergone a blood transfusion. 16 of the sick have been diagnosed of typhoid and diarrhoea. “We have sent four medical teams to check health condition of people,” Health director Dr S Aruna Kumari said.
Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas said he would organise a meeting in the Secretariat with ITDA officials today. The regional director of East Godavari district has been on leave for last four days and the ANM is on leave for 15 days.
Health minister to visit East Godavari
In view of the steep rise in cases of communicable diseases in the agency areas of EG district, officials have finally been forced to take concrete steps. Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas said he would visit the affected areas and hold a meet with ITDA officials to chalk out a strategy to combat the spread of diseases.