The situation in villages, which are reeling under the effect of viral fevers and seasonal diseases, is worsening day by day.
With insufficient medical staff on the one hand and a majority of the staff joining the Samaikyandhra agitation on the other, people in villages are forced to approach private and corporate hospitals and shell out huge amounts of money.
Though the rainfall was below normal in the district, the spells of rain resulted in the spread of viral and seasonal diseases. With the municipal and health staff joining the Samiakyandhra agitation, the conditions in the villages turned unhygienic and the diseases are spreading fast.
Especially in the western parts of the district, like in the villages of Madanapalle, Tamballapalle, Punganur, Peddamandyam and others, seasonal diseases are spreading fast. People in these mandals are affected with viral fevers apart from Chikungunya, Hepatitis-B, Malaria and Typhoid.
Health department officials said that the spread of diseases is due to breeding of mosquitoes on account of stagnation of water and contamination of water. The municipal staff, who are supposed to maintain sanitation, are on strike as part of the Samaikyandhra agitation and are not taking up sanitation work.
Health department officials are also on strike and the medical facilities at villages have taken a hard hit. “We are forced to visit private hospitals or corporate hospitals as the facilities at the government hospitals in villages are inadequate. Moreover, doctors are not available at the primary health centres,’’ said P Sudhakar of Madanapalle.
According to the figures available with the district administration, more than 7,800 persons have been affected with viral fevers in the district between July 1 and August 10 and four of them have died. Similarly, more than 3,000 persons have been affected with either malaria or Hepatitis-B and the worst is the spread of diarrhoea. More than 10,000 people are affected with diarrhoea in 150 panchayats in 22 mandals in the district. Nearly 18 have died.
In the villages in Tamballapalle, Madanapalle, Punganur and Piler constituencies, cases of Chikungunya are rampant. Most of the affected are being treated at private hospitals.
The district medical & health officer Dasaratharamaiah said that they would take steps soon for restoring medical facilities.