CPM demand to declare Health Emergency in AP

Vishakapatnam, July 4: The CPM Prajarogya Vedika has demanded that a health emergency is declared in the Agency region in view of 16 deaths reported in Chaparral of East Godavari district and eight persons including G Madugula sarpanch M Matsyaraju falling victims to malaria in Visakhapatnam district.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, State convener of the Vedika Ch Narasinga Rao said that eight others from Araku Valley of Visakhapatnam district were suffering from anthrax and undergoing treatment at the King George Hospital in the city.

"Also, the first round of malathion spraying was not done in the Visakhapatnam agency. We demand that all primary health centers and community health centers in Agency area should provide round-the-clock services.

Adequate medical staff should be recruited for the purpose and also personnel from other departments be deputed till the fevers subside there," he said.

The CPM leader also expressed concern over the failure of the State government to take preventive measures through hundreds of people in the agency were dying due to malaria year after year.

"The government also announced that drinking water would be supplied to the agency in the name of NTR Sujala Sravanti. But, so far drinking water has not reached any village there," he stated.

Narasinga Rao also took serious exception to the remarks of Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas who reportedly asked how the government could provide health care if they lived in hills, and that the 16 people in Chaparral died because there was no information to the government on malaria there.