Kalahandi in grip of diarrhoea

The Pioneer, Sept 15, 2010
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

After Rayagada, Kalahandi district is coming under the grip of diarrhoea. Last year, 63 persons had died due to the epidemic unofficially whereas the district administration had claimed only 26 deaths.

This year, the number of diarrhoea deaths is likely to go up as the living conditions of the villagers have not improved. The reason behind the deaths is the polluted drinking water.

Last year, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya had visited Lanjigarh block to take stock of the situation and committed to fill 71 doctors’ posts which were lying vacant in Kalahandi district. But it is yet to materialise.

In the first week of the current month, six persons had died in Koksara block due to diarrhoea. This week, two persons have reportedly died in Lanjigarh block and one died in Gudialipadar GP of Bhawanipatna block. Reports said that at least five persons, including two 14-year-old girls, have been affected by diarrhoea in Gudialipadar GP. The person who died in GP on Monday was a 55-year-old woman Baidehi Naik.

This is despite CDMO Sushil Rath’s claim that no death has been reported from Gudialipadar GP.

On Tuesday, in village Kankutru in Lanjigarh block, Tirime Majhi (40) died and her daughter Muni (15) was admitted to the local health centre in a critical condition. Another person, Pati Majhi (48) of Basantpada in the block also died due to diarrhoea. A doctors’ team has been pressed into service and patients are being brought to the health centre with the help of VAL ambulance in Lanjigarh.

In Koksara block, six affected persons are being treated in the hospital. There are also reports that in Jaipatna and Thuamul-Rampur blocks, several people have been affected by the epidemic.

According to official reports, all possible measures are being taken by the administration to combat the diarrhoea in all affected blocks.