Two persons from Agency areas of the district died reportedly due to malaria. Meghana (11) of Sundruputtu of Paderu mandal was suffering from anaemia and jaundice for sometime. She died while being shifted to King George Hospital on Monday. It’s learnt that the girl tested positive for malaria.
G. Madugula sarpanch M. Matsyaraju (35) was undergoing treatment for jaundice with typhoid at a private hospital in the city, died. Though unconfirmed reports said he was also suffering from malaria, doctors say there was no truth in it.
Attempts to contact DMHO N. Uma Sundari for confirmation failed as she could not be reached on her phone.
Meanwhile, in a video conference from Vijayawada, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed the Collector and the ITDA Project Officer to constantly monitor the health situation and organise special drives to control the seasonal diseases. He said the government was ready to provide men and material, if necessary.
CPI(M) district secretary K. Lokanadham demanded that the government should initiate immediate measures to check diseases like anthrax, diarrhoea, and malaria in the Agency by holding medical camps. He said there was shortage of doctors and paramedical staff at the sub centres and two community hospitals and a majority of the doctors at the 36 PHCs in the Agency were appointed on ‘contract basis’ and they were quitting their jobs due to low salaries, he said.
