Angul: Kidney disease rising in Athmallik area of Angul district in Odisha as per latest reports. Cases of kidney disease are increasing day by day here while people are not getting proper treatment. Due to lack of money many of the kidney ailment victims are staying at home without proper treatment. Such situation has been witnessed in the Thakurgarh Panchayat of Athmallik block. Now the question arises will this situation deteriorate further? A report.
The number of kidney patients is increasing in Thakurgarh Panchayat of Athmallik block. Dhandatopa, Arampur, Amasma village of Thakurgarh Panchayat, 15 km from Athmallik, are located on the northern side of the Panchdhar hills. As many as 450 people from 50 families are residents of Dhandatopa.
Similarly, around 350 people from 60 families are living in Arampur and Amasma. Surrounded by hills and forests, most of the people in these villages live below the poverty line. They earn their livelihood by collecting agricultural and forest products.
Likewise, Luhasinga panchayat is 13 km away from Athmallik. The population of Luhasinga village, situated on the southern side of the Panchadhar hills, is about 1100. About 80 percent of the people of this village live below the poverty line. They are laborers. They collect forest produce for livelihood.
Many people have died due to kidney disease in these villages in the past. Now the number of victims is increasing. In 2015, 2019 and 2023, health camps were organized to identify kidney patients in different areas of Athmallik. A total of 52 patients were identified. They are said to have been provided medical treatment. Only 26 people died. 26 people were under treatment. Some of them are getting treated at their own expense. Due to lack of money, a few others are staying at home without being able to buy medicine.
3 major hospitals in Athamallik do not have the necessary number of doctors. The number of doctor posts in this sub divisional hospital is 34. But there are 6 doctors here. Also, there are only 6 doctors in Madhapur hospital out of 12. Similarly, in Kishorenagar hospital, there are only 4 doctors while the number of doctors’ post is 12.
It seems kidney disease detection tests and free drug provision are far from reality. Allegedly, patients in rural areas do not receive proper treatment from the onset of the disease in nearby hospitals. As the disease spreads, treatment becomes costly. A patient in financial crisis is forced to come to the hospital and return home only with some advice and prescription from the doctor.
The villagers alleged that drinking water problem is the main cause of the disease. Fine particles of minerals are present in the water of the tube wells at the foot of the hill. The villagers said that there is even oily part in the tube well water. Public Health and Sanitation Department has advised not to use tube well water in Luhasinga village.
Just 2 meters away from that tube well, another tube well has been installed. The water from that tube well is being filled in the overhead tank and distributed to the people. The villagers have complained that this water is not purified. The tank is also not cleaned. Villagers have repeatedly appealed the administration for supply of clean drinking water, but in vain.
Regarding the possible cause of the disease, the doctors have pointed finger towards several factors. Blood pressure, diabetes, family history, minerals in drinking water, adulterated food, drugs, environment etc. can cause this disease.
The junior engineer of rural water supply and sanitation department has said that samples of water from the tube wells have been collected and sent for testing. Action will be taken once these reports come.
Local MLA Ramesh Chandra Sai has accepted the complaints of the people. There is a need to identify the kidney patients and appoint sufficient doctors in the nearest health centre, the villagers have said. Also, provision of medicines, organization of health camps for the diagnosis of kidney disease are to be made.
The villagers have further said that once the identification of kidney patients done, they should be included in the Biju Health Welfare Scheme and to be provided with treatment. Further, they have demanded the administration to take immediate action to provide clean drinking water to the rural areas affected by kidney disease.
Report: Ashish Singh, Athmallik
Ms Kalinga