Activists from the tribal organisations allege increase in deaths and health issues among the students in residential school hostels in the Agency area of Alluri Sitharama Raju district, due to lack of proper monitoring and negligence by the authorities.
Though the health issues among the students in tribal region was not new, the issue once again came to light after six to 10 students from a residential school from Koyyuru were hospitalised due to some health issues recently.
According to the tribal organisations, in this academic year, more than 12 students died due to various health issues and a number of students are suffering from various health ailments. They allege that various issues like poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, lack of healthcare from the department and monitoring from the hostel wardens are some of the reasons for the student deaths.
P. Narasayya from A.P. Girijan Sangham, alleged that the tribal welfare hostels lack basic amenities. “The wardens, principals, or heads of the department do not respond in time whenever a student falls sick,” he alleged.
“Earlier, there were health assistants in the school hostels. Their duty was to keep a check on the students’ health and initiate action if students get ill. But since the last three years, the health assistant recruitments was stopped,” he added.
According to a few activists, student deaths were reported from various government school hostels in G Madugula, Paderu, Koyyuru, Munchingputtu, Pedabayalu, Dumbriguda and a few other mandals in the last one year. Recently, the banned CPI (Maoists) have also demanded action against those officials responsible for the student deaths.
Paderu ITDA Project Officer V. Abhishek said that eight students have died in this academic year. Of them, six students died due to long term and hereditary health issues, while two students ended their lives.
He said that about 10 days ago, six students fell ill in a hostel at Koyyuru and they were provided treatment immediately. “Generally, during three seasons, we report health issues in the Agency. During June - July, dengue and malaria cases are reported, during September fever cases are reported due to drop in temperature. Again during February, rise in temperature leads to fever cases,” Mr. Abhishek said.
Medical camps in 117 Ashram schools
“We have conducted medical camps in as many as 117 Ashram schools and provided medicines. Those who required treatment were shifted to Government General Hospital at Paderu,” he said.
Denying allegations of negligence, Mr. Abhishek said that regular health camps were being conducted from time to time in the Ashram schools. He said that since last year April, they have shifted as many as 268 students to King George Hospital after identifying their health problems, and of them 247 students were discharged. Even now, there are 13 children undergoing treatment at the KGH. Those who require advanced treatments were being referred to private hospitals, he added.
Mr. Abhishek said that special focus is also being laid on sickle cell anaemia and other diseases among the students.
