Saturday, September 1, 2007

Bhawanipatna epidemic toll 64

The Pioneer, Sept 1, 2007
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

Even as the Government claimed the death toll to be 27 and that the situation was under control, unofficial sources say that as many as 64 people have died and many more are battling with life in the epidemic- hit Thumal Rampur block.

Official sources said 21 died of diarrheoa and 6 of cholera from the Gopinathpur, Adri, Maligaon Gram Panchayats in the 57 health camps. The CDMO and ADMO have been staying for the last four days. Meanwhile, 20,000 halogen tablets, 21,450 ORS packets have been distributed. 23 wells and 242 of tube wells have been disinfested in these GPs. Three powerboats, 7 medico teams have been pressed in to service where each team will treat at least 100 people. Twelve hundred mosquito nets have also been distributed and four NGOs have been roped in for providing healthcares.

People have been provided rice since August 29 and legal action against the storage agent was decided to be taken where rice under PDS was siphoned off .

Meanwhile, former Minister Bhakta Charan Das visited the infected areas on Thursday and said that district administration has completely failed in relief operation. It is unfortunate that there is no all weather road to Adri Gram Panchayat for which doctors went to the villages by cycle to look after the infected people, he lamented.

The situation in Pengdhusi village under Adri Gram Panchayat is critical as one died on Thursday during my visit and 12 others already died on Wednesday and 25 more infected are languishing without health care and food and drinking water. No doctor has reached the village, he added.

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