Malkangiri: An unknown disease has been playing havoc at Haladikud village in Temurupalli panchayat under Mathili block of Malkangiri district. In the last one week, 11 people have died of the disease, it was alleged. A patient identified as Masa Madkami of Haladikud village died Friday while he was being shifted from the Mathili subdivisional hospital to the district headquarters hospital (DHH). The deaths have triggered panic among people. It was alleged that people in the panchayat have been seeking help of quacks and traditional healers to treat the disease instead of taking the patients to hospitals.
Medical experts say, this superstitious practice has deprived the patients of modern medical treatment. Meanwhile, police have arrested a quack identified as Narendra Madi of Salimi panchayat of Haladikud following a complaint lodged by the medical officer of the Mathili subdivisional hospital. Locals said, people affected by the disease are learnt to have swollen limbs along with high fever. A team of doctors visited the village and took stock of the situation. The team had advised 15 affected people to be admitted to the hospital. The medical team said that quacks are worsening the condition of patients. IIC Suryaprakash Nayak said that the accused quack has been arrested and produced in court.
