Dumka, June 30: Cerebral malaria has killed four infants in tribal-dominated Littipara block of Pakur district in the past one week. The number of the affected is on the rise.
JMM MLA from Littipara Sushila Hansdak and her husband, former party MP Simon Marandi, announced today that they would demonstrate by forming human chains around the Littipara block office on July 4 against the state’s inability to address the problem.
Assistant chief medical officer of Pakur and district malaria officer Nalini Kant Mehra sent 10 medical teams and a mobile team of doctors and medical staff to the affected villages yesterday. The teams will remain at Littipara till the situation is under control.
Mehra said that the in-charge of Littipara public health centre (PHC), Dr Than Hembrom, has remained absent since June 22 without informing the district headquarters. Pakur deputy commissioner Manish Ranjan has initiated action against him.
Assistant medical officer of Littipara PHC Dr Sushil Kumar Mehrotra said the medical teams visited several affected hamlets like Jardehia, Guhanda, Rajavita, Baidyanathpur, Barul, Khandoparta, Margo, Dharampur, Pathariya and Kathalpara and collected blood samples. Malaria symptoms were confirmed in 26 of the 49 cases at Kathalpara and Duhoro hamlets.
“We provided medicines and administered saline to six people at their houses,” he said.
Mehra rescued one Chami Paharin (4) from Paharia-dominated Duhoro hamlet and admitted her to Littipara PHC. He claimed that the situation would soon be under control.
But residents of several villages like Pathriya and Gharapokhar have not received any medical attention.
“We don’t have money to eat. In such circumstances, how can we avail of treatment?” said Sanjhali Murmu (40) of Gharapokhra.
Lalmuni Maraiya, a villager of Kathalpara, was very serious and was put on saline yesterday. These patients complained of high fever with headache and pains in the joints and nausea.
Last week, one Mahandey Paharia, grandson of the Gram Pradhan of Kathalpara, died allegedly due to lack of proper treatment. Daughters of Devi Paharin and Chunki Paharin at Duhoro and the daughter of one Munshi Murmu of Barmasiya also died due to brain malaria last week.
Thakur Hansdak, vice-president of Pakur district unit of BJP, alleged that inadequate medical facility for the Paharias and Santhals is responsible for the number of deaths. He claimed that several residents of Kathalpara, Bhusutola, Jhapri, Chapogora, Mosabin, Patharia, Jarmunjhi, Chotogoba are infected with the disease.
