Malkangiri: District collector K Sudarshan Chakraborty Wednesday refuted allegations made by former MP Pradip Majhi who said 23 Japanese Encephalitis (JE)- affected children have been missing from the district headquarters hospital.
Dubbing the accusation baseless, the collector said patients from remote areas would lose confidence in doctors and the administration if such rumours are floated. They would turn to quacks again instead of visiting hospitals, Chakraborty said, adding, the media should not give importance to such rumours.
Giving more details to the media, additional district medical office Kalyan Sarkar said 48 children are undergoing treatment at the hospital of which four have been placed in the intensive care unit (ICU). While 26 of them are cases of JE, rest of the patients suffer from other ailments, he added.
The ADMO further said fogging has been completed in 80 affected villages while mosquito-killing liquid has been sprayed in 69 villages. Similarly, health workers have sprayed DDT in 36 other villages. So far, 10,360 bed-nets have been distributed in the worst-hit regions of the district and the operation will continue for some more time, it was learnt. Volunteers, health workers, Anganwadi workers, teachers and green activists under the supervision of a nodal officer have been engaged in creating awareness and sanitation drives in several villages.
Meanwhile, health secretary Arti Ahuja arrived at Malkangiri and held a meeting with the collector and other officials to review the situation. PNN
