Bolangir: People of several villages of Jamut panchayat under Gudvela block in this district are in a grip of panic after many children in the area were reportedly taken ill by a host of ‘unknown illnesses’.
Gabharasa, a village located on the top of Sikerpat hill – at a height of 500 ft from sea level – is said to be the worst-affected. For example, a three-month-old son of Jagannath Deheria is suffering from a condition wherein his limbs are getting thinner by the day while his head and belly are increasing in size.
The villagers are unable to figure out if the baby is suffering from malnutrition or some other disease. Anganwadi worker Basanti Deheria says the baby cannot be immunised in this condition. At least 25 persons, most of who are children, have been suffering from chronic ailments for the last couple of days, according to reports.
Villagers of Thelkobhela – which is located at a higher altitude than Gabharasa – are no better off.
These two villages lack basic amenities like drinking water, electricity, and road connectivity. Besides, no government official or health workers visit the villages citing inaccessibility. Healthcare facilities in these villages and a few others on the foothill – Sikelpadar, Raksivata and Dhanpur – are in shambles, locals alleged. Even as 50 people of these villages have been suffering from some unknown fever and other mysterious ailments for the last few days, they have no one to approach, Raksivata ward member Til Nanda said, adding that people are forced to consult quacks from neighbouring Kalahandi district.
Ranjita Deheria (15) of Gabharasa village is in a critical condition and is suspected to be suffering from malaria or dengue. Similarly, a large tumor has been noticed on the head of Archita (1), daughter of Dhanu Bhue but the disease is yet to be diagnosed.
An ASHA worker of Gambharimal visits the village once in a while and prescribes some tablets but they don’t yield any results, villagers said. They alleged that the children and lactating mothers suffer from malnutrition by consuming poor quality sattu.
“Though these villages are situated 25 km from Gudvela PHC, 35 km from Tushra CHC and 70 km from district headquarters hospital, no doctor or any medical team has ever visited the region to offer any assistance,” locals alleged. PNN