Union Minister of Health J.P. Nadda has announced that teams from the Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will be deputed to Uddanam in Srikakulam to take up a study on the cause of the high incidence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) and to suggest remedial measures.
The Health Minister inaugurated the CGHS Wellness Centre, established in the premises of the Government Hospital for Mental Care, along with Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas, Visakhapatnam MP Kambhampati Haribabu and others on Monday.
Later, addressing the beneficiaries of the CGHS – meant for serving and retired employees of the Central government establishments and their family members -- on the occasion, Mr. Nadda agreed to sanction a dialysis centre at Uddanam, if a proposal was submitted to the Centre.
Mr. Nadda’s assurance came after the seriousness of the Uddanam problem was briefed to him by the MP and Dr. Srinivas at the meeting.
Mr. Haribabu said the CKD in the Uddanam area of Srikakulam district had been persisting for several years. Though successive governments had taken measures to control it, the cause had not been found till date.
He sought the launch of a research programme for a scientific study to find out the cause of the problem.
Dr. Srinivas said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had already appealed to Mr. Nadda to sanction dialysis centres in the Uddanam area apart from other places in the State.
Srikakulam Staff Reporter adds:
Professors of the Andhra University will play key role in conducting detailed study for prevalence of kidney diseases in the Uddanam area, according to AP Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu who conducted a high-level meeting in Srikakulam on Monday.
Teams of the Andhra University Geo-Physics and Geo-Engineering departments will conduct the study on contamination of water, presence of pesticides in soil and other issues.
Geo-Engineering head Rajendra Prasad and Geo-physics head Venkateswara Rao gave a detailed presentation about their proposed study at the meeting.
Mr. Ramanjaneyulu said the government would supply purified water to all villages since contamination in water was said to be one of the reasons for the spread of diseases.
Palasa MLA Gowthu Shyam Sundar Sivaji, Itchapuram MLA Bendalam Ashok and others urged the government to supply medicines free of cost to the CKD patients as they were not able to afford them.
