The cholera outbreak in Polama gram panchayat of Kalyansingpur block in Rayagada district has so far taken lives of five tribal people in the district.
More than 30 persons are undergoing treatment at the Rayagada District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). On Monday morning, Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi visited Rayagada and had a very brief meeting with Collector and other district officials. According to him everything is on track to tackle the menace. However, he neither visited the local hospital nor he went to the affected areas on the pretext of Naxal bandh in the day.
Though several awareness programmes are being carried out in the villages on the waterborne disease, the situation is still grim as more and more patients are pouring into the local CHC at Kalyan Singhpur and serious patients are referred to the DHH at Rayagada.
BJP Rayagada district unit President Siba Shankar Ulaka, who himself visited the affected villages along with the other party leaders, said the health service facilities are shabby. He blamed the district administration and political apathy of the ruling party for the situation.