Malaria Affects Tribal Families Struggling for Food

Visakhapatnam: Malaria has affected tribal families in the hilltop hamlets under Rompilly panchayat in Anantagiri mandal of ASR district. About 150 people have contracted malaria and are unable to go for work. As a result, they are struggling for food. They are pleading to authorities for sanction of rations.

According to tribal community leaders, malaria is the worst during the months of April, May, and June. Villages like Buriga Chinna Konala lack basic facilities like drinking water and electricity. They depend on springs for drinking water.

Knowing that the areas are malaria-prone, authorities had distributed mosquito nets to the tribal people in the area in 2020. The nets are now damaged and unusable, tribal representatives say.

The nearest primary health centre is 50 kilometres away, making it difficult for people suffering from malaria to travel that far. If the patient's condition worsens, the only alternative is admission into the King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam.

In case the patients are anaemic, they need blood transfusion. Many tribal patients have faced difficulties in getting blood at KGH.

"We are not just struggling; we are fighting for our lives. When we are affected by malaria, we borrow money from traders to get treated,” said Badneni Bujjibabu, a tribal from the affected area, who shared his personal struggle with Deccan Chronicle.

Tribal leaders have requested ASR district collector to urgently inspect their villages and take necessary action to alleviate their suffering.

Siveri Kondalarao, president of the Girijana Sangham, says certain medical officials are reluctant to register malaria cases. Action should be taken against such officials, he stated.

Deccan Chronicle contacted District Medical and Health officer Jamal Basha for his comment. He clarified that they are working in villages affected by malarial fever. But there have been no deaths so far due to malaria, he stated.

When pointed to the DC report of a five-year-old girl Rapa Luthia dying at Kadarevu village in Peddakota panchayat of Anantagiri mandal, Jamal Basha maintained that the girl's death is not due to malaria.