Post News Network
Cuttack, Feb 13: State Health secretary Arti Ahuja Friday reviewed steps being taken by the administration to control the spread of jaundice which has afflicted 116 persons in Cuttack.
According to sources, Ahuja held discussions with Cuttack collector and chief district medical officer. This comes a day after the Orissa High Court asked the state government to form a panel headed by the chief secretary to check the menace.
The number of people suffering from the disease crossed 104 Thursday and 12 more were diagnosed with the disease Friday.
The High Court’s order to constitute a panel came after a petition was filed by Giribala, corporator of ward No. 4 and the leader of Opposition in Cuttack Municipal Corporation.
Ahuja’s meeting with the officials assumes significance as the health secretary has been given two weeks’ time by the High Court to submit a status report on the measures taken by the authorities.
According to sources, Ahuja toured the affected areas of the city and visited the SCB Medical College and Hospital where patients suffering from jaundice have been admitted. She directed the officials to take expeditious steps to treat the patients and asked the CMC officials to clean the areas where the disease has spread its tentacles. CMC officials said the health secretary also interacted with people in Thoria Sahi and took a note of the problems faced by them. The Orissa High Court had expressed its displeasure over a photograph published in ‘OrissaPost’ dated February 12, in which a pipeline with several leaks laid inside a drain was shown. CMC has been under fire from the Opposition leaders in the city as well as from the residents, who Friday said the civic body has done little to contain the disease till now. CMC sweepers, however, were seen cleaning pipelines in Thoria Sahi, Friday morning. Some residents said the civic body is distributing halogen tablets.
‘‘It should have been done much earlier. Now, the disease has attained epidemic proportions,”, said an irate Krushna Behera, whose friend has been diagnosed with jaundice. Even as CMC was beautifying localities where VIPs reside, it conveniently forgets the ones living in slums.
Meanwhile, CMC health officer, PK Pradhan said, ‘‘We are working regularly in the affected areas and PHD is repairing damaged pipes. We have deployed 260 ASHA workers and 250 anganwadi workers in the affected areas. They will go to every household and create awareness about the disease.”
