Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Diarrhoea assumes epidemic proportions
Staff Reporter
Some 26 persons fall prey to it in one month in Kalahandi district
BHUBANESWAR: Outbreak of diarrhoea in Kalahandi district has assumed an epidemic proportion with 26 villagers reported to have died in less than a month while scores of people have been admitted in different hospitals.
Although several doctors? teams have been rushed to affected region, the toll is likely to go up.
However, according to unnofficial estimates, more than 40 persons have so far died of diarrhoea.
According to State Health Department sources, government healthcare centres have treated 237 persons affected by diarrhoea while 21 doctors teams and three groups of mobile healthcare professional have been pressed into service keeping in view the emergency situation.
Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said 26 persons died in the current diarrhoea outbreak and 10 doctors from VSS Medical College Hospital, Burla were being sent to Kalahandi to prevent further deaths.
Moreover, a high-level team headed by State Health Director that comprised doctors of UNICEF and Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) left for the district to assess the situation.
The State government seemed to have realised the gravity of outbreak late. The first attack was reported on July 31 and the first diarrhoea death was detected on August 1. Within the next 15 days more than 11 succumbed to diarrhoea. However, the situation was tackled in an ad hoc arrangement in the district.
Volunteers working in the region alleged that initial deaths were reported in highlands and the district administration was well aware that it would spread to villages situated in lowland as residents sourced their drinking water from streams from affected areas.
The State government on Monday came out with figures that 31 villages in seven gram panchayats were affected by the diarrhoea outbreak. However, sources from the district said villagers mostly tribals from four blocks were affected. The current outbreak threatened to cross the district boundary as six deaths were reported from Thuamul Rampur block, which is bordering to Rayagada district.
The disease has spread to newer areas because there have been inadequate sources of safe drinking water. Villagers are staying in unhygienic environment.
Meanwhile, a three-member team led by Uma Chawla, joint director of National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), visited affected area. On Sunday, Congress Lok Sabha member Bhakta Charan Das alleged that people had fallen victim to diarrhoea in Bhawanipatna, Biswanathpur and Thuamul Rampur blocks of the district.
He said a total of 76 posts of doctors were lying vacant in different government hospitals across the district.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/01/stories/2009090151170300.htm
Staff Reporter
Some 26 persons fall prey to it in one month in Kalahandi district
BHUBANESWAR: Outbreak of diarrhoea in Kalahandi district has assumed an epidemic proportion with 26 villagers reported to have died in less than a month while scores of people have been admitted in different hospitals.
Although several doctors? teams have been rushed to affected region, the toll is likely to go up.
However, according to unnofficial estimates, more than 40 persons have so far died of diarrhoea.
According to State Health Department sources, government healthcare centres have treated 237 persons affected by diarrhoea while 21 doctors teams and three groups of mobile healthcare professional have been pressed into service keeping in view the emergency situation.
Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said 26 persons died in the current diarrhoea outbreak and 10 doctors from VSS Medical College Hospital, Burla were being sent to Kalahandi to prevent further deaths.
Moreover, a high-level team headed by State Health Director that comprised doctors of UNICEF and Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) left for the district to assess the situation.
The State government seemed to have realised the gravity of outbreak late. The first attack was reported on July 31 and the first diarrhoea death was detected on August 1. Within the next 15 days more than 11 succumbed to diarrhoea. However, the situation was tackled in an ad hoc arrangement in the district.
Volunteers working in the region alleged that initial deaths were reported in highlands and the district administration was well aware that it would spread to villages situated in lowland as residents sourced their drinking water from streams from affected areas.
The State government on Monday came out with figures that 31 villages in seven gram panchayats were affected by the diarrhoea outbreak. However, sources from the district said villagers mostly tribals from four blocks were affected. The current outbreak threatened to cross the district boundary as six deaths were reported from Thuamul Rampur block, which is bordering to Rayagada district.
The disease has spread to newer areas because there have been inadequate sources of safe drinking water. Villagers are staying in unhygienic environment.
Meanwhile, a three-member team led by Uma Chawla, joint director of National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), visited affected area. On Sunday, Congress Lok Sabha member Bhakta Charan Das alleged that people had fallen victim to diarrhoea in Bhawanipatna, Biswanathpur and Thuamul Rampur blocks of the district.
He said a total of 76 posts of doctors were lying vacant in different government hospitals across the district.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/01/stories/2009090151170300.htm