Tribal village in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam reports eight infant deaths in nine months

A probe revealed the cause of deaths as calcium deficiency in mothers as well as drinking water contamination

A tribal village in the Visakhapatnam agency area has witnessed 14 infant deaths since May 2018, eight of them in the past nine months.

All the deaths in the remote Patharudakota village of Pedabayalu mandal in Visakhapatnam district took place within three months of birth. All of them were institutional deliveries with the normal birth weight of babies and their mothers were reported to be in good health condition.

A probe initiated by Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, who is also the administrator of scheduled and tribal areas in the state, revealed the cause of deaths as calcium deficiency in mothers as well as drinking water contamination due to rusting of pipelines laid several years ago.

According to the Director of Tribal Welfare report, Patharudakota is a multi-tribe habitation of 138 households with Bagatha, Kondadora and a few Poraja families who are panic-stricken by the series of deaths.

A team of doctors from the King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, too visited the villagers and examined water, soil etc., to ascertain the cause. According to the KGH team, "respiratory failure in newborns, infants" could also be due to improper handling.

After governor Harichandan expressed concern over the villagers' misfortune and instructed the officers concerned to take immediate steps to contain infant mortality in the Visakhapatnam agency area with immediate effect, the Jaganmohan Reddy government sprung into action, deploying medical and other staff in the area for remedial measures.

Officials said they have initiated several steps like replacing the water pipeline, deploying a second ambulance in the area for emergency medical service, and deputing a specialist team from KGH for inspections.

“A staff nurse would be stationed in the village for close observation of the health condition of newborn children. We have also made arrangements for the lactating mothers to stay along with their infants at a facility in Munchingiputtu. They would be provided good food for additional nutrition and safe drinking water,” officials said.

Long-term measures include setting up of proper communication facilities, construction of a bridge over the rivulet between Rudakota and Patharudakota villages, construction of residential quarters for the PHC staff so that they are available in the village round the clock.

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