PALAKKAD: Health minister K. K. Shylaja on Wednesday said that the government will immediately restart community kitchen project that provides nutritious food to the tribal population in Attapadi area. The minister’s assurance came in view of the frequent child deaths occurring in the region. The community kitchen project was stopped a month ago following shortage of funds. “Many health programmes have been implemented in Attapadi but unfortunately these do not reach the grassroots. There are 29 doctors working in the area against the sanctioned posts of 18. Steps will be taken to make comprehensive health care activities effective,” the minister said during her visit to the house of Manikandan, a 12 year old boy who died due to malnutrition recently.
The victim’s house which does not even have basic facilities like toilet, is in a pathetic condition. His mother Bhagavaty, is suffering from sickle cell anemia, inherited genetically because of anaemia. Most houses located in Swarnapirivu village where the family resides, lack sanitation facilities. During a recent survey conducted among 13,227 children of the total of 18,325 at Attapadi, two children were in very critical state whose blood count was below 5Hb.
During the minister’s visit, village Moopan Nellayan, raised the issue of unavailability of ambulance to go to Kottathara Government Hospital which is 20 km away from their village. The hospital also lacks proper facilities including ventilators. According to the villagers, only 30 kg of rice is being distributed from the ration shops against 35 kg sanctioned by the government. N. Shamsudheen MLA, Collector Mary Kutty and officials of health department accompanied the minister. A group of Youth Congress workers staged a protest against minister’s visit.
