Seasonal diseases grip tribal hamlets in AP

300 doctors’ posts lie vacant in agency areas

Hyderabad: In a worrisome development, the tribal areas in Andhra Pradesh are reeling under seasonal diseases, spreading panic among people and administration alike.

The situation in districts like Visakhapatnam, West Godavari and Kurnool areas in particular is alarming.

There is widespread outbreak of contagious ailments like dengue and viral fever in the tribal hamlets in agency areas of these districts. With no primary health centres located in these areas, the tribals are forced to travel long distances to the district headquarters for treatment.

In Kurnool district alone, about 189 cases of fever were reported and of them seven died while undergoing treatment for various diseases like diarrhoea, dengue and viral fever.

Though on record there are dispensaries and hospitals in tribal villages, they are non functional as the doctors posted there do not report for duty. Even basic medicines or investigative facilities are not available there.

According to AP assembly records, as many as 300 posts of doctors have been vacant over the past few years. Replying to a short discussion on Health and Medical Administration in the Legislative Council on Saturday, State Health and Medical Education Minister Kamineni Srinivas said the new government was trying to come to grip with the problems and soon it would take measures to see that the tribals do not have to travel long distances for medicare.

The Minister said that the district administration had been asked to prepare a report on the ground situation and take measures to extend all necessary help to the tribals.