The state's children are sitting on the precipice of a perilous health hazard. A pilot study taken up by state Directorate of Health in association with National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai, has revealed that more than 71 per cent cases of diphtheria are from Andhra Pradesh while the Old City accounts for as much as 16 per cent of all cases reported from the State.

The study revealed that Andhra Pradesh accounted for 4,161 cases out of 5,826 diphtheria cases reported across the country.

The findings of the study which was commissioned as part of diphtheria eradication campaign by the state government, were shared at a function to launch the campaign against the disease here, beginning with the immunisation of 2,500 students of government schools.  The government  now plans to extend the vaccination drive to all schools in the city.