MALKANGIRI: The death of two inmates of Kolaganda school hostel in Podia block of the district in the last couple of days reportedly due to an unidentified disease has raised concern and panic among parents and locals.
Thirteen more inmates of the school hostel, managed by the ST and SC Development department, are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital and Podia community health centre (CHC).
On August 23, District welfare officer Krupa Sindhu Behera said Pradeep Muchaki, a Class VII student complained of fever and was taken to Podia CHC by the hostel staff. The CHC doctors treated him for five days after which Pradeep returned to the hostel.
However, he complained of muscle pain and wanted to go home. The staff took him to his native Chidipalli village under the Tumusapalli gram panchayat of Korukonda block on August 27. The next day, Pradeep fell ill again and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where he passed away.
Similarly, Santu Kurami, a Class VIII student complained of fever on August 28 and was rushed to Podia CHC. The doctors said there was no need to get Santu admitted and gave him medicines. On August 29, the school authorities informed Santu’s parents of his illness and took him to his native Pujariguda village under Podia block. He, however, died en route.
Behera said the deaths could have been a result of negligence in treatment. However, lapses if any, on the part of the school authorities in the deaths of students will be dealt with seriously. He said the disease is yet to be identified. “I have taken up the matter with the Collector and CDMO,” said Behera.
A team of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) visited the Kolaganda school hostel on Tuesday and collected blood samples of 143 inmates to test them for Covid-19 and malaria. However, none of the inmates tested positive for the disease.
Chief district medical officer Praful Kumar Nanda told The New Indian Express that the cause of the deaths of the two students and the disease will be known in a day or two after the reports of the ailing students are received.
A team of doctors visited the hostel on Wednesday. Nanda said nine students are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital with similar symptoms, while four have been admitted to Podia CHC.
“The food and water samples from the hostel will be also collected and examined,” the CDMO informed.
In a third case, a Class IX student of Pandripani High school passed away on Tuesday. Maheswar Alan, doctors said, was suffering from TB. When he visited Pandripani CHC on August 13, doctors called the guardians to CHC the next day and advised them to admit him to Malkangiri district hospital.
However, the family took him home but later the school authorities shifted him to DHH at Malkangiri where doctors treated him till August 21. He was later discharged but fell ill again and rushed to the DHH last night where he breathed his last, Behera said.