Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Kodela puts blame on doctors

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD July 7. The Minister for Health, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, on Monday admitted that the negligence of the medical authorities concerned had resulted in the outbreak of viral fevers in some districts which claimed the lives of 65 children in the age group of 2 to 14 years.

``The deaths could have been averted if the doctors responded in time and initiated precautionary measures,'' he said.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said while only 2 to 3 cases were reported during the first half of June, the number increased subsequently due to the severity of the virus, believed to be "atypical measles encephalitis.'' With the outbreak of the virus, Karimnagar registered a highest of 28 deaths followed by Warangal where 24 children died. Six deaths were reported from Nizamabad, three each from Adilabad and Krishna and one child died in Nellore district. "The virus was so virulent that the deaths occurred within a span of 24 to 36 hours,'' he said.

However, with the Government initiating a slew of measures like fogging, spraying, anti-larval operations and chlorination and monitoring the drinking water sources, there was a sharp decline in the number of cases being reported from the past two days. The Government had deputed experts from Kakatiya and Osmania Universities to the affected villages while a rapid response team headed by the District Health and Medical Officers of the respective districts had been constituted to take necessary steps whenever cases were reported. In addition, blood samples, collected from cases and contacts, had been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, National Institute of Virology and the Veterinary Biological Research Institute for examination while experts from the NICD and NIV also visited the affected areas. Moreover, the department was also collecting second samples from recovering patients since there was a possibility of them reporting positive to the attack despite their first sample testing negative.

He said that in view of the possibility of the outbreak of malaria, measles and Japanese Encephalitis during August-end, steps had also been initiated to position the required doses of the vaccines in all vulnerable districts.

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