Seasonal diseases claim 11 lives in 1 month

As many as 11 people died of seasonal diseases in the Agency areas in Warangal district in the last one month.

The deaths occurred due to absence of medical staff in the primary health centres. Many of them were found to be living away from the workplace. In Mulug division, there are 13 scheduled area mandals with 17 PHCs in them. Five mobile clinics were also sanctioned to the division. However, vehicles were not provided to the five clinics and so the staff remained in Eturunagaram mandal headquarters.

Early response teams were constituted to identify and treat people at village-level. Similarly, rapid response teams were formed in PHC-level. If both teams work in coordination, people in villages will not have many health problems. But in reality, it is not so.

On August 5, 29-year-old Satish, a driver belonging to Bestagudem in Mangapet mandal, died. He had been suffering from illness for the last 20 days. Members of the early response team knew about Satish’s illness but did not inform it to their higher officials. The fact came to light during enquiry after Satish’s death. It was also found that doctor at Chunchupalli PHC, nearest to Bestagudem village, was not available at the hospital.

The deputy DM&HO, specially recruited for the scheduled areas, inquired into the death and submitted a report to the ITDA project officer Sarfaraz Ahmed. A week ago, A Sammaiah (45), belonging to Sarvai in Eturunagaram mandal, died of viral fever. Sammaiah, it is learnt, suffered from high fever and diarrhoea but could not approach the hospital as the canal between Sarvai and Buttaigudem villages was overflowing.

On August 11, Swapna (14) of Muppanapalli and k Sammaiah (45) of Buttaigudem village died. There has been no improvement in the services in Agency areas even though higher officials in the health department conducted sudden inspections.

Last month, IT minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Mulug MLA Dhanasari Anasurya made a sudden inspection of PHCs and even warned the doctors of action if they neglected duties.

Few days ago, DM&HO Dr Sambasiva Rao made a night stay in the PHC at Medaram in Tadwai mandal. Four days back, he made a surprise visit to another PHC in the mandal but with information about his visit getting leaked, all the staff were present at the hospital.

Typhoid cases were also registered in the scheduled areas. Over 39 cases were identified positive for malaria in the scheduled areas.

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