Viral fever makes Marripudi shiver

Podili (Pakasam Dist): More than 200 people in Marripudi mandal in Prakasam district are suffering from flu and viral fevers. The officials blame non-cooperation from the public to keep hygiene in the villages as the reasons for brake out of fevers.

For the last three days, people from the Gundla Samudram, Kellampalli, Marripudi and neighbouring villages are being admitted to hospitals with fevers. The health centre in Podili is full with patients and a few other have left for Ongole and Guntur for better treatment.

The patients and their relatives complain that nearly three-fourths of the village is suffering from fevers. They said that the panchayats are not maintaining sanitation on roads and not cleaning the drains regularly, which is leading to water-logging, ideal condition for mosquitoes
to breed.

They complained that the PHC has no stock of medicines and being poor, they are not able to purchase all the medicines. They are demanding the government to supply all medicines for free and make the surroundings in the villages better and livable.

Dr S Rajyalakshmi, the district medical and health officer of Prakasam district said that she brought the condition of poor sanitation to the notice of the district panchayat officer and requested him to initiate action.

She asked the public to not dump waste on roads and public places. She said that the line departments are taking up Information Education and Communication (IEC Activities) to educate the public on keeping the neighborhood clean. Meanwhile, district panchayat officer NSSV Prasad said that that he had already issued orders to officials to keen the village clean.