After Uddanam, Chronic Kidney Disease surfaces in villages close to Amaravati

Tribals and people of backward classes, who hardly have money to survive, are subjected to immense hardship as they are now requred to foot medical bills.

VIJAYAWADA:   Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is not confined to Uddanam area of Srikakulam district. Some parts of Prakasam district, which are close to the state capital city - Amaravati - too are blighted by the disease. Around 500 people belonging to tribal communities and backward classes in 19 villages of A Konduru mandal and some villages in Gampalagudem mandal have been suffering from CKD for the last several years.The number is only increasing day by day and CKD is proving to be the bane of the families in these villages. 

In last three years alone around 50 people have succumbed to the disease and another 50 are undergoing dialysis in various private hospitals in Vijayawada, some 50 km from their respective villages.
Tribals of A Kondur mandal in Krishna district suffering from Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) came before the media on Friday with the help of the CPM, seeking government’s intervention to help them fight the crisis.

“Life is only getting harder for us day by day. We are rendered weak and unable to do any physical work. Since most of us are poor and unlettered, we are selling what little property we have and taking loans to meet our medical expenses,” said Barothu Saina of Deepla Nagar thanda in A Konduru mandal.Banavathu Lasha and Bhukya Rakhi, two middle-aged people from Chaitanya Nagar Addaroadu thanda in A Kondur mandal said they have to spend `7000 to `8000 per month for medicines alone. 

“Only the cost of dialysis that we undergo twice a week is covered under Aarogyasri. Transport charges, food, and expenditure for attendants, accompanying the patients, are proving hard on us. Unable to find money for the expenditure, there are people in our village who are reluctant to come to Vijayawada for dialysis and silently suffer,” Rakhi said.According to CPM capital region coordinator Ch Babu Rao, who along with Krishna district (west) secretary DV Krishna visited these villages and interacted with victims, every family of the victim has a sorry tale to tell. 

“There are families, where both parents have succumbed to the disease leaving children orphans. There are those elderly, who have left by their children and now suffering from CKD. There are also those who have to drop out from schools and colleges to support the family by working as daily wage earners with the elders suffering from CKD,” he said.Babu Rao said, though A Kondur mandal is in Krishna district, which is represented by three ministers, including Health Minister and Rural Development Minister, yet no health survey has been conducted so far. 

“It is rather unfortunate that revenue officials there try to downplay the situation by stating that there are only 15 cases and even prevent the victims from coming out to narrate their woes,” he said.
The mandal has no safe drinking water supply and for several years now, the demand for Krishna water has been given no attention. 

“We demand Krishna water supply to these villages. Until such arrangement is made, measures to provide safe drinking water from tanks should be made. This apart, a dialysis unit in A Konduru PHC should be installed and a dedicated nephrologist should be appointed. Government should give pension to CKD victims undergoing dialysis in private hospitals and compensation to the kin of the CKD victims in the region,” the Left leader said.

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