Revenue officials visit Jajulabandha to inquire into girl's death
Mandal Parishad Development Officer D.N.V. Prasad and Panchayat Secretary S. Ravindra visited Jajulabandha village on Wednesday to inquire into the death of a seven-year-old girl on May 19 evening, reportedly due to ill-health. Pangi Estheru had fever for a week before passing away, according to her parents.
The medical officials, however, attribute her death to native medicine, which she had consumed for stomach pain and vomiting for two days before her death. Meanwhile, some other children are said to be suffering from fever, said the villagers.
'Our staff conducted rapid test with kits for malaria of 52 persons and all of them tested negative. Their blood smears were also taken. Auxiliary Nurse Midwife N.Satyavathi conducted mass screening for malaria for 28 persons, including Pangi Estheru, and all of them tested negative as per the result obtained on May 17,' said C.Jamal Basha, District Medical and Health Officer of ASR district, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
'Jajulabanda village in Koyyuru mandal, which is 25 km from Downuru primary health centre. The village population is 186, residing in 29 households. There is no road facility from Arla village to Jajulabandha, a distance of 10 km. Ambulance or any other vehicle reaches only up to Arla village. One has to reach the village on foot only. Our staff had also conducted UIP session at Kumberla and Jajulabandha villages but no fevers were identified,' he added.
In the absence of protected drinking water supply, the villagers are forced to drink water from the 'geddas'. The contaminated water was causing health issues among the tribal people, said village elders Marri Venkata Rao and Marri Kameswara Rao.
'Though household tap connections were given, motor was not fixed for the supply of water through taps, forcing the residents to fetch water from the geddas, far away from their homes. Though the officials concerned had taken stock of the issue and promised to initiate remedial measures, no action has been taken so far,' says CPI-M district secretariat member K. Govinda Rao.
'In the absence of a road, we are forced to carry the sick in dolis to the road point for shifting patients to the hospital in an ambulance. Though ₹1 crore was sanctioned for construction of a road with funds from the Tribal Welfare Department in 2023. The road work was stopped midway,' he said.
He appealed to the Project Officer of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency to visit the village and direct officials concerned for early completion of the road stretch to overcome the problem. He alleged that five other children in Jajulabandha were also suffering from fever.
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