Keonjhar: Malaria has been spreading alarmingly and has struck panic among people in remote and tribal-dominated pockets in Keonjhar district.
Mahadeijoda panchayat, just 12 km from the district headquarters, is the worst affected. In the last few days, eight persons have reportedly died in the panchayat while over 100 people were down with fever. Among the dead was a former sarpanch.
While healthcare is unreachable, many affected people have allegedly confined themselves to their houses without going out for treatment.
Some locals alleged that the health department has not taken any immediate step to check its spread, but only distributed mosquito nets in some pockets.
The local sarpanch said that all health officials of CHCs are carrying out a special programme ‘Daman’ in various areas, but no health team has ever visited the village.
Tikarapada village of this panchayat is worst affected by malaria, a report said. Chaturbhuja Behera, a local resident of Tikarapada had died of malaria.
The disease had claimed its first victim at Naupada recently. The health teams only visited the villages having good communication, alleged Mandira Behera, wife of the deceased Chaturbhuja.
Sahadev Behera, Gahama Paramanik, Lambodar Behera and sarpanch Jabeswar Majhi also brought the same allegation against the health department.
It is alleged that crores of rupees are being spent towards malaria eradication programme in the state, but it has been ineffective in tribal pockets like Mahadeijoda in Keonjhar district.
In Mahadeijoda, six-year old Arpita Nayak, daughter of Tika Nayak and Sukanti Nayak, had earlier died of the disease.
In 2016, the area had reported 25 malaria-related deaths. The casualties had grabbed newspaper headlines then, forcing the medical team to visit villages.
Many quarters alleged that malaria eradication programme has been confined to only pen and paper while poor tribals face a lot of problem in availing right treatment at hospitals.
However, CDMO Dr Kabindra Sahu said that medical teams are being sent to affected areas and medicines are being distributed among people along with collection of blood samples. PNN
