The Rayagada district administration was on its toes after seven persons died of diarrheoa and dozens were affected triggering a concern across the State. The district administration and Utkal Alumina swung into action to further contain the outbreak of diarrhoea in the vulnerable Kashipur block.
Around 90 affected persons from villages namely Thutibar, Maliguda, Tikiri Jhodia Sahi, Dudukabahal, Panchali, Kodipari, Khurigaon, Rualpeta, Andirakanch, Podapadi, Surugunja, Gobarighati, Sankarda, Badamaribhatta, Rautaghati, Kakudipadara, Jalakura, etc were being treated at the Government hospitals in Tikiri and Kashipur and Utkal’s Oshapada hospital.
Medical camps were set up to address the emergencies. Mobile health units were pressed into service in the affected villages as well. Serious cases were referred to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), Rayagada and Sahid Laxman Nayak Hospital and Medical College (SLNHMC), Koraput. Till date, 25 stool, 20 water and 60 blood sample reports had been collected from several affected villages. A team from Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar under the leadership of Dr BB Pal arrived in the district and analysed the water and stool samples. Two eminent professors from SLNHMC namely Dr. Kailash Nayak and Dr Rudra Pradhan visited the temporary medical camps and discussed with the medical staff.
Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO) Dr Lal Mohan Rautray confirmed that the spread was due to contamination of water source.
Strict instructions were issued to disinfect water sources, repair dysfunctional tube wells and solar dual pumps. The efforts were coordinated by district Collector Swadha Dev Singh. Torrential rains, muddy and slippery roads did not deter her from visiting the highly affected villages like Dudukabahal and Tikiri Jhodia Sahi with a team of senior district and block level officials. After discussing with the family members of deceased persons, she directed the BDO to release financial assistance from Red Cross. She also instructed Utkal Alumina authorities to keep 30 beds ready in its hospital specifically for treatment of diarrhoea patients.
In the mean time, MP Sapatagiri Ulaka visited the spot and blamed the State for not being able to provide safe drinking water to the villages. As many of the water supply stand posts were not functional, Rayagada MLA Makaranda Muduli, who visited the affected villages along with Zilla Parishad Chairperson Saraswati Majhi, instructed the authorities to take the concerned contractor to task.