GUNTUR: The threat due to diarrhoea is continuing in Guntur as another person has died due to the disease on Friday with relatives and locals staging a protest outside GGH demanding that the government stop diarrhoea deaths. P. Rattaiah, 34, hailing from Nallachervu of Guntur was suffering from vomiting and loose motions before being admitted to the GGH for treatment. Sadly, he died in the early hours of Friday. The public are alleging that neither the Guntur municipal corporation nor the state government is taking measures to restrain the epidemic which has killed as many as 15 people and left another 1,500 people ill in Guntur.
Family members claim that Rattaiah died due to diarrhoea, but GGH doctors denied the same. GGH superintendent Dr D.S. Raju Naidu stated that Rattaiah died due to multiple organ failure mainly pancreatitis. The family members claimed that Rattaiah was suffering from diarrhoea and GGH doctors gave him tratment for the same, but are now denying the same.
Angry family members and locals held GMC responsible for the death and rushed to the GMC office with the body with YSRC, Congress and CPI leaders in tow. Guntur east YSRC MLA Md. Mustafa alleged that the government is trying to decrease the toll and are not showing the actual cause of death. He said that the increasing deaths shows the utter failure of the government.
YSRC state secretary L. Appi Reddy alleged that there were many damaged pipelines passing through drainages which contaminate the water. But, GMC has only changed a few of them thereby failing to restrain water contamination. He demanded that all damaged pipelines be changed immediatly, along with ex-gratia and treatment for the victims. Congress Guntur west in-charge S. Rohit and other leaders have warned of intensifying their agitations if GMC and the government fail to control the ailment.
