Even as there is no letup in the death of children due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Malkangiri district, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) has suspended two health workers on charges of dereliction of duties.
The Malkangiri CDMO on Saturday suspended Subala Mistri and Biswanath Patra, health workers of Badali and Palkonda health centres, respectively.
On Sunday morning, Dasarathi Naik (2) of Dangaraguda and Juli Kabas (2) of Kalakunda under Padia block of the tribals-dominated district died of encephalitis. So far, as many as 44 children have died due to the JE virus in last 31 days.
Moreover, one Rajendra Muduli of Medinisahi of Jeypore in Koraput district died reportedly due to JE virus when he was being shifted to the MKCG Medical College Hospital, Berhampur.
Talking on the status of the JE-infected patients, Malkangiri Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO) Kalyan Sarkar said 20 more patients have been admitted to the DHH on Sunday. With the fresh admission, the number of patient at the hospital reached 137.
“The Health Department is carrying out fogging and spraying of mosquito repellant DDT to restrict mosquito population in the area. So, there is a chance to check the spread of the disease soon,” said Sarkar.
Health Services Director Kailash Das said that earlier the death rate was high because parents were bringing their children when they were in the last stage of ailment.
“With the awareness drive at the community level, people are becoming aware of the disease and taking their ailing children to the hospital,” said Das.
Meanwhile, Malkangiri district Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy informed that free cooked food would be provided to JE patients in the affected villages.