In the two villages of Orchha Block in Narayanpur district about 20 tribal people reportedly died of diarrhoea within a week, while more than two dozen people are suffering presently.
According to Civil Surgeon Dr M K Suryavanshi, who is posted at Divisional Headquarters Jagdalpur, after receiving the information of outbreak of diarrhoea, a team of doctors and health workers was sent to the area three days back. The team has not returned as yet and only after its return actual position could be known.
In this connection, heath department principal secretary MK Raut said that taking the issue seriously, a detail report on the situation has been sought from the district collector and after receiving the report, further action would be taken.
According to sources, outbreak of diarrhoea has been reported in Dunga and Handawara panchayats of Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district. located 50 km from district headquarters, Dunga Panchayat has over 1,500 population. In Potadipara locality of the Panchayat, 14 deaths from diarrhoea have been reported within a week, whereas six deaths from the same ailment have been reported from Handawara which has a population of about three thousand. All the six deaths have been reported from Bedmapara locality of the Panchayat.
Taking help of ‘Sirha-Gunia’ (sorcerers) instead of consulting doctors is assigned as the main reason behind these deaths, but due to abysmal health facility available in the area and poor connectivity, tribal people are forced to fall back on these warlocks.Notably, Handawara and Dunga Panchayats are parts of Abujhmad but there is no road to reach these villages directly. To reach Handawara, one has to cross Mardum area of the Bastar district, then cross the Barsur area of Dantewada district.
In monsoon time, the area becomes unapproachable and no one from any department of the State Government reaches there. Only a few ashram schools are run in those areas during rainy season and teachers of such schools are camped at Barsur.