The district administration has finally woken up after the death of around 20 Juang tribal children recently in Nagada village and its nearby areas under Chingudipali Gram Panchayat in Jajpur district. District Collector Satya Kumar Mallick along with other officials visited the villages on Thursday. later the Collector discussed with the senior health officials regarding the worst health condition of the tribals in these areas.
“We have decided to start free kitchens and health camps in the remote villages to check the malnutrition problem. Bad water management coupled with acute shortage of drinking water has unleashed gastroenteritis on epidemic proportions in this rainy season in Gohiasala, Naliadaba, Taldiha, Nagada, Ashokjhar and other Juang dominated villages under Sukinda block, said the Collector.
At least 70 persons including 25 children are undergoing treatment in the primary health center at Sukinda and the District Headquarters Hospital. Due to shortage of beds, many patients are undergoing treatment on the verandas of the hospitals.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Phanidra Panigrahi said, "At least 16 tribal kids have died recently in Nagada village and its nearby areas after suffering from water borne diseases. A medical team visited the village and treated many patients. We also collected stool and blood samples for further test."
“The uncovered well and water tanks in the villages is the main reason behind the spread of water borne diseases and viral fever. The villagers have been taking water from this uncovered tanks since long,” added Dr Panigrahi.
large numbers of tribal people in these areas are also seriously exposed to these dangers as there are hardly any supply drinking water. The rampant water-borne disease is spreading its tentacles as gastroenteritis has become a recurring problem in these villages. The unprecedented scarcity of drinking water compounded the problem, said chairperson of Sukinda block Bhagabati Mohant.
The number of gastroenteritis affected persons will be more if the authority will not provide proper medicines and treatments to the affected villages. It is high time the authority checked the waterborne diseases in a war footing way, added Mohant.