TIRUPPUR: With hundreds of people suffering from fever and cold in the last week, residents of tribal hamlets in Udumalaipet have appealed to the forest department to organise medical camps. S Gopal, the moopar (head) of Thirumoorthy hill settlement, said, “For the past one week, several families in the 15 settlements in the region are suffering from fever, headache and cold. This is unusual in summer and we are naturally strong and immune to such illnesses."
"We initially thought people would recover in a day or two, but they are down for close to a week. Elderly people complain of severe body pain along with fever. We can’t take the affected people through forest paths or mud roads to Udumalaipet government hospital. The forest department must conduct health camps in the area.”
N Murugan, a resident of Kuzhipatti, said, “There are more than 150 families in our settlement, and nearly 40 families are suffering from fever and cold. Some elders tried making a potion using herbs, but their condition hasn’t improved. Many families are worried and we plan to take some people to the PHC at Erisanampatti near Udumalaipet, which is more than 20 kilometres away. It is the closest healthcare facility we have. We have to travel on a mud road, but there is a shortcut of 5 km. But it passes through rocky and slippery terrain.”
Not just in the two settlements, the situation is the same in Esaltattu and Mavaduppu settlements. N Moorthi, a resident of Esaltattu, said, “Almost all tribal families in our settlement are disciplinarians. Besides, we never venture outside the tribal hamlet. We are surprised how so many of us are down with fever and cold. Most of the men didn’t move to take up farm work.”
When contacted, assistant conservator of forest (Tiruppur) K Ganeshram said, “We are not aware of the fever or other illnesses. A doctor visited some settlements a few days ago but he did not report any cases. We will soon organise health camps in the region.”
According to sources, the health department cannot conduct screening camps as the area comes under forest department’s jurisdiction. Also, the health department does not have the logistics capability to hold camps in such remote areas. A majority of the people have been administered both doses of vaccine, sources added.