VIJAYAWADA: Villagers of Jujjuru in Veerulapadu mandal are in grip of fear with one more person dying of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD),taking the toll to six. The deceased was identified as daily wage worker Mangalagiri Apparao (60).
According to villagers, the deceased Apparao was suffering from kidney-related ailments for the past five years and sold his piece of land and a house in the village for treatment.Fearing that their village will turn into another Deepala Nagar, which is one of the worst-affected villages in A Kondur mandal where more than 10 people have died so far, Jujjuru villagers requested the health officials to set up a dialysis centre in Nandigama town. “We are worried as six CKD deaths occurred in a row in our village. The government should conduct health camps and set up a dialysis centre in the town,” the villagers requested. They further said cases of CKD were also reported in the neighbouring villages of Rangapuram, Alluru and Chattannavaram. “We have made several representations to political leaders, requesting for a permanent solution. However, our pleas fell on deaf ears,” the villagers said.
Clarifying the issue which created tension among villagers, district medical and health officer (DMHO) Padmaja Rani said there are no CKD cases in Jujjuru and in the neighbouring villages, and further claimed that Apparao died due to lack of medical treatment.“Only two dialysis cases were found in Veerulapadu mandal. We shall conduct a survey in those villages and study the habits and lifestyle of the residents,” she said.