Agartala, Aug. 19: Nine persons, seven of them children, died of malaria and meningitis last week in remote Rajdhar, Malidhar and Gobindabari villages, sources in the health department in Ambassa, headquarters of Dhalai district, said.

Dr Milton Debbarma, doctor in-charge of Chhawmanu primary health centre, said till today, two patients of malaria and meningitis, Motilal Chakma, 30, and one-year-old Dilip Chakma, were undergoing treatment in the primary health centre.

“We now have all 26 seats occupied by malaria patients and two of them have been found to be afflicted by meningitis; there are also a dozen malaria patients on the corridor of the hospital building,” the doctor said.

The nine patients who died of malaria and meningitis, were Dinesh Reang, Fanindra Aslong, Jamrai Reang, Kriparani Tripura, Shashi Mohan Tripura, Chandari Tripura, Kalasri Tripura, Rebanti Tripura and Raja Aslong, he said.

“I came to know about their deaths and that they had died of malaria and meningitis from their relatives who had come to collect medicines from or to take admission in the health centre,” Milton Debbarma said.

He said the three affected villages were 25km southeast of Chhawmanu across the hilly terrain and there were no proper roads connecting the villages, though one is under construction. “Unless proper roads are constructed, providing medical aid to the patients is difficult. People find it difficult to trek 25km up the hilly road to reach Chhawmanu primary health centre.”

The director of health services, Dr Satya Debbarma, tried to evade answering questions related to malarial and meningitis deaths saying, “I have not yet received any official report on this, so I cannot confirm.” He said in July, two major medical camps were organised in Natinmane village close to the three villages, which was attended by doctors from Agartala. But the doctors did not see any signs of any impending crisis.

“We do take measures to prevent recurrence of the outbreak but these are remote areas and we cannot take immediate action. But whenever help is required we arrange camps and distribute medicines. The Chhawmanu primary health centre is also doing a good job,” said Satya Debbarma.

The district medical officer of Dhalai, Dr Subir Debbarma, said he had received reports of the death of nine persons in the remote villages.