DINDIGUL: A 45-year-old tribal woman from Kodaikanal, who was suffering from fever and could not be taken to a hospital for a week, died after failing to respond to treatment at the Periyakulam government hospital in Theni district on Monday morning.
According to sources, the victim G Mariyammal (45), a resident of Vellavi, a tribal village in Kodaikanal of Dindigul district was suffering from high fever for one week. However, as it was raining and the rivers, including the Kuppamparai River, were at spate, crossing them proved to be risky. The villagers were forced to wait for the water levels to recede, and on Sunday morning, they carried her on a doli made out of cloth from Vellavi village to Chinnamapalayam nearly 7 km away.
She was then taken in an ambulance to the Periyakulam government hospital located 10 km away. The villagers could not visit the government hospital in Kodaikanal, located over 12 km away, as the route was steep and narrow, unlike the route to Periyakulam hospital. Although she was admitted on Sunday, her condition deteriorated and she faced breathing difficulties and passed away around 4 am on Monday.
Speak into TNIE, a top official from the Dindigul district administration said, “A team of medical officers will hold a camp in the villages for two days (August 19 and 20). The RDO will conduct an inquiry on the issue, and appropriate action will be taken based on the report.”