Viral fevers spread like wildfire in Adilabad

Adilabad: With many people falling prey to seasonal diseases in Utnoor Agency of Adilabad district, Health Minister and a host of senior officials landed in the district to deal with the precariously poised situation.

Although, the health authorities discounted fears of outbreak of viral fevers, the umpteen numbers of malaria, typhoid and dengue cases speak volumes of the situation that turned from bad to worse in the last few weeks. Prevalence of anemia, owing to malnutrition, is also rampant in the region, especially among the tribal communities.

Especially, people living in Jainoor, Sirpur (U) and Narnoor mandals are worst affected with no proper medical care facilities. Most importantly, many villages in these mandals are far away from health care centres with poor transport access.

Besides this, the ineffectiveness of the primary health care centres where facilities are far from satisfying have been making life miserable for the tribals. Many PHCs are reportedly running short of basic medicines such as paracetamol tablets. Shortage of doctors and paramedical staff made the situation even more miserable.

A total of 497 cases of malaria have been registered in the district put together, starting from January. Based on community health centres’ data, a whopping 306 cases of typhoid have been reported alone in Utnoor ITDA area.

This number doesn’t include the cases reported at RIMS Hospital in Adilabad. Meanwhile, hospital sources say that the number of typhoid cases would be around 600. It is learnt that as many as six cases of dengue have been resulted in positive in a total of 194 cases attended for screening tests.

Speaking to The Hans India, the DM&HO G Rukminamma said, “The district administration has been put on high alert to ensure that no fever case should go unreported. The health officials and local body members have been told to keep a track of people suffering from fevers.”

Admitting that there were at least 10 deaths in the district recently, she maintained that the cause of deaths was yet to be ascertained as per the norms. Meanwhile, Health Minister C Lakshma Reddy accompanied by the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare Dr Y Lalitha Kumari visited several villages under Jainoor and Utnoor mandals and reviewed the situation.

By Adepu Mahender