Date:25/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/25/stories/2007112555100500.htm

Back

Andhra Pradesh

‘Report on fevers in agency areas soon’

Staff Reporter

Umri village worst-hit

Tribals consume chlorine tablets as malarial medicine
112 persons die of fevers in agency areas

Sharing woes: Health Minister Sambhani Chandrasekhar visits Umri village where fevers were rampant on Saturday.

UMRI (ADILABAD DT.): Health Minister Sambhani Chandrasekhar on Saturday said, a report with suggestions on measures to be adopted to contain fevers in the agency areas of Adilabad will soon be submitted to the Government. He said, many factors had contributed towards death of 112 persons, a majority of them being children, due to fevers including malaria.

During his visit to Umri village in Narnoor mandal, the Minister was mildly surprised when tribals informed him that they had consumed chlorine tablets disbursed for sanitising drinking water. They had actually failed to differentiate between chloroquine and chlorine when the Minister asked them about the chlorine supplied by the Government. The relative ignorance among tribals about medicines has been identified as a major drawbacks for spread of fevers. ITDA Project Officer Saurabh Gaur spoke to patients being treated at an emergency camp that was set up in the village. Umri is one of the worst-hit villages accounting for death of over 20 children. Villagers wanted the three bridges on the road from Lokari to be constructed to transport patients to the PHCs or other hospitals. The Minister also visited Jainoor and Sirpur (U) mandals where fevers were rampant. Meanwhile, 10-year-old Mesram Maruti from Sungapur Gondguda in Narnoor mandal died on Saturday due to fever.