A total of 2,773 suspected cases of fluorosis, including 1,709 among children and 1,064 among adults, were reported in 2014-15 in Shivamogga district.
Consumption of water with high fluoride content is said to be the reason for fluorosis. The fluorosis cases are generally high in places where people rely on groundwater sources. The engineering section of the Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, which conducts tests of water sources every year, had found that the fluoride content was more than the permissible limits in 448 water bodies in the district in 2014-15. Based on this finding, the District Fluorosis Cell (DFC) of the Department of Health and Family Welfare had conducted health check-up camps for the people in 203 villages, who were consuming such water.
The dental check-up camps were also conducted in schools in these habitats. In addition, door-to-door survey was conducted in 203 villages where people were consume water with high fluoride content. As per the guidelines issued by the United Nations Children's Fund, three levels of tests, including chin to chest test, forward flexion of the spine and occipital tests, should be conducted to ascertain the suspected cases of fluorosis. The DFC subjected 15,660 adults in these 203 villages for the tests.
H.N. Shwetha, District Coordinator of DFC, told The Hindu that the children with suspected of fluorosis symptoms were being given Vitamin C capsules for two days a week and calcium tablets for five days a week under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis (NPPCF). Under this programme, awareness camps on the prevention of fluorosis and its treatment were held in these 203 villages. Adults in these villages were told to consume food rich in Vitamin C and calcium. As exposure to water with fluoride content was the main reason for fluorosis, it has been planned to install reverse osmosis water purifying units in these village to provide purified water to the residents. The zilla panchayat has requested the State government to sanction necessary funds for the purpose.
It’s attributed to consumption of water with high fluoride content
