VIZIANAGARAM: Two weeks after a tribal woman, Kondatamara Paramma, a resident of Sirivara village of Salur Mandal, was taken 15-km on a makeshift stretcher to the nearby road on way to an area hospital, Melli Alusu, 48, was shifted from his village to Durgaru, a distance of about 15 km, again, on a temporary stretcher in heavy rain and through slippery and hilly terrain.
To reach the nearby road at Durgaru, the people have to trek down about 15 km. In case of medical emergencies, patients are taken on make-do stretchers to Durgaru and from there to Parvatipuram area hospital by vehicles.
Melli Alusu, who has been suffering from stomachache for the past one week, was taken to the hospital on Wednesday when the pain became acute. Witnessing the victim’s condition, Alusu’s family members and the villagers decided to shift him to the hospital.
As there is no road connectivity to the village, the villagers shifted him to nearby Durgaru by carrying him for about 15 km on a temporary stretcher. After reaching Durgaru—from where there is road connectivity— they shifted the victim to Parvatipuram area hospital by bus.
“It is not uncommon for villagers to shift patients to the hospital on make-do stretchers,” S Gopi from Sirivara village said. He said, “It takes almost five hours to reach the nearby road. Some patients had died on way to the nearby road. Despite several appeals, officials have not sanctioned a road, he added.
On the spread of seasonal fevers in the village, Deputy DM&HO M Ravi Kumar Reddy conducted a medical camp in the village a few days ago. Addressing media persons after reaching the hospital, he said, “It was hell to shift the patient through the hilly terrain in the rain. Two persons have been shifted to the hospital in this fashion in two weeks.”
Parvatipuram ITDA APO Suresh Kumar said the proposal for laying a road to the village has been sent to the State government. Once they get the approval, the road will be laid.
Road proposal sent to State govt: ITDA APO
When contacted, Parvatipuram ITDA APO Suresh Kumar said the proposal for laying a road to the village has been sent to the State government. Once they get the approval, the road will be laid, he added.