Chikungunya vs heart attack!

[Snowy Owl]

<TR><TD class=straplinefont valign="bottom">Chikungunya vs heart attack!</TD></TR><TR><TD height="5"></TD></TR>
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun152007/state200706157590.asp​

<TR><TD class=articleheaderfont valign="bottom">Villagers, officials in row over womans death</TD></TR><TR><TD height="5"></TD></TR> <!-- ~~|ByLine|ArticleContentFont|height="5px"|byline|520|10| ~~--><TR><TD class=articleagencyfont>Mysore, dhns:

</TD></TR><TR><TD height="5"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=articlecontentfont></TD></TR><TR><TD height="5"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=overviewfont colspan="2">The death of 40-year-old Sakamma at Sindhuvalli village has only deepened the mystery: Is it chikungunya, as the villagers tend to believe it is?</TD></TR><TR><TD height="5"></TD></TR>
<!-- ~~|123Dop123|ArticleContentFont|height="5px"|DoP|520|10|~~ --><TR><TD class=ArticleContentFont>
The death of 40-year-old Sakamma at Sindhuvalli village has only deepened the mystery: Is it chikungunya, as the villagers tend to believe it is?

But Assistant Health Officer Prasad and Zilla Panchayat Vice-President Marigowda say she died of a heart attack at a hospital here.

Whatever the true reason, a visit to her village, 15 km from here, is revealing enough.

Three teams of doctors were seen attending to villagers with symptoms of chikungunya or typhoid.

The villagers maintain that the doctors came here only a day ago, in response to a month-old request for medical help!

The doctors claim they have been here ?much before?, leading at one stage to an argument between the doctors and the villagers. The villagers now demand that all of them be examined and treated ?if necessary, in a week?s time?.

Fuel to fire
The absence of Gram Panchayat officials, especially its president, only added fuel to the fire. The villagers blame the GP for the current situation, saying drains haven?t been cleaned for a month now. They even suspect drinking water is contaminated with drain water, ?which may have caused Sakamma?s death?.

They in fact vented their anger with officials by locking up the GP office.

Mr Marigowda, who was present at the spot, then ordered that 15 daily wagers be appointed in two days time for ?the cleaning work?. He also said ZP and Taluk Panchayat funds would be diverted for providing basic facilities to villages.

Minister backs off
Health Minsiter R Ashok, who was scheduled to visit both Pushpagiri and Sindhuvalli, which have both reported ?suspect? cases, has cancelled his plans.

Chikungunya or not, what cannot be denied is that Sindhuvalli is apallingly lacking in hygiene and basic facilities.

GP?S ACTION
Gesture spurned
* While the TVS factory located near the village wants to adopt the village, it hasn?t got the green signal. In fact, the GP wants the company to divert the funds to itself instead of the company ?independently providing facilities?.

* The GP has appointed only one woman, Pushpavalli, to clean the roads and drains of Sindhuvalli that houses 5,000 people. What?s more Pushpavalli claims she hasn?t been paid for the past four months. She has been on the job for 25 years now.
</TD></TR>