KOCHI: District Collector Mohammed Y Safirulla on Wednesday visited Ponganchuvadu tribal settlement in Vengoor panchayat following reports about various health issues faced by the residents. Recently a person in the tribal settlement was diagnosed with Leishmaniasis also known as Kala-Azar. Similarly, 14 students at Edamalayar Government UP School were diagnosed with chicken pox. Of this, eight belonged to Ponganchuvad. Following a health checkup carried out by the Health Department, only one person was found suffering from Kala-Azar.
District Collector visited the patient and directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment. Kala-Azar is spread by flies. Using residual spray, the house of the patient was cleansed. The Vector Control Research Centre team also reached the tribal settlement and monitored the situation. The team has collected samples to be examined at the laboratory.
District Medical Officer (DMO) N K Kuttappan said Forest Department officials will be trained to prevent communicable deceases at the tribal settlement. Malayatoor Divisional Forest Officer A Renjan said a 16-km-long fencing work near the tribal settlement is being carried out. The work will be completed within a month.
The District Collector ordered to enhance the employment guarantee programme at the village. The construction of the road to the settlement can be included in it. The residents raised concerns about the shortage of drinking water at the settlement. Safirulla assigned Forest Department officials to conduct a study about constructing a check-dam to solve the water crisis.
Following complaints from residents that household products were sold at a higher price by local traders, the District Collector ordered to start a welfare society at the settlement from where products will be available at a cheaper cost. The Collector also visited the houses affected by landslides during the monsoon. After evaluating the construction of the house, he visited houses of students suffering from chicken pox.