ADILABAD: Lack of corrective measures to address the issue of malnutrition, especially anaemia, is leading to deaths in the Agency areas of the erstwhile Adilabad district. Recently, two women died reportedly due to anaemia. Residents alleged that medical officers are usually not present in primary health centres (PHCs), leaving the medical staff overburdened with providing treatment.
A 25-year-old woman, Pendur Vimala Bai, who was seven months pregnant, was suffering from diarrhoea when she was taken to the Ichoda PHC on April 9. However, due to the absence of a medical officer, the nurses provided treatment.
As Vimala’s health condition got worse, she was referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad but died on the way to the hospital. She had a haemoglobin percentage of 7.5 g/dL, while the normal for women is 12.1–15.1 g/dL. Vimala’s family members alleged that if a medical officer was available at the PHC in time, her life could have been saved. In May 2023, she had married P Sai Kiran and was residing at her mother’s residence.
Meanwhile, another woman, Attram, who was eight months pregnant, died while undergoing treatment for cold and cough at the Utnoor Area Hospital in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. While the reason for her death is yet to be disclosed, her family members have raised the issue of anaemia.
According to official information from the Adilabad district, 65% of lactating women have been identified as anaemic, with haemoglobin levels (g/dL) ranging from 7 to 11, particularly among tribal women in mandals under agency areas. The highest number of cases are reported from PHCs in Pitta Bongaram, Gadiguda and Danthanpally.
PHC officials have been criticised for neglecting to provide timely treatment to patients and displaying irregularities in care delivery. In a recent incident at Sirikonda mandal PHCs, nurses treated a pregnant woman for what they believed to be natural labour pains, administering fluids instead of appropriate medical intervention.
Furthermore, many Anganwadi centres are failing to provide adequate nutrition, such as protein-rich foods like eggs, to lactating women due to insufficient oversight from higher authorities.
Most women fall within the 7 to 11 haemoglobin range, while 12 g/dL is required for a safe delivery. Health officials have categorised cases into mild and moderate, ranging from 7 to 11, with ground-level ASHA workers and ANMs providing 30 iron folic tablets per month and conducting health checks every 10 days. Severe cases, below 7 g/dL, receive injections along with iron folic supplements twice a month.
Dr Rathod Narender, the District Medical and Health Officer for Adilabad, told TNIE that an inquiry into the death of the woman in Sirikonda mandal is ongoing. According to preliminary reports, her haemoglobin level was 7.5, but she was admitted to Sirikonda PHC with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea, where she was administered fluids before being referred to RIMS for further treatment, he added. Regarding Vimala Bai’s death, he clarified that this wasn’t a case of anaemia death, as anaemia-related deaths don’t occur suddenly. It may be due to sudden low blood pressure. Measures are being taken to improve health conditions through iron folic acid tablets and injections, he added.
BRS leader and Ichoda Mandal MPTC, Gadge Subash, said that in agency areas, many women suffer from malnutrition. The government needs to increase its services to prevent such incidents, he said.