Published On : Tue, Jul 19th, 2016

Savargaon near Nagpur worst hit by gastro; 769 patients in single village

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Health department ignorant towards problem

gmc-nagpur1-600x300Nagpur: As many as 769 patients have been detected as suffering from gastroenterities in a nondescript village of Savargaon in Narkhed tehsil of Nagpur district, during the past one week. However the health department is yet to wake up to the alarming situation.

Savargaon, 80 kms off Nagpur, is thinly populated village and the astounding number of patients have signalled serious threat to the health condition of the villagers.

Despite the grim situation in the village, secretary of health department Sujata Sounik and director of health Dr Mohan Jadhav did not visit the village although they were in Nagpur on Monday.

Sujata Sounik and Dr Mohan Jadhav were in the city on Monday following summon by Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court in a case. When one of the media contacted Dr Jadhav he replied, “The work at the court finished at 4.30 pm. It was too late to go to Savargaon and then return to Mumbai to attend some necessary meetings tomorrow. However, a report has been sought in this regard and necessary instructions have been issued to the authorities concerned.”

Villagers have expressed surpise over the indifferent attitude of the authorities.

The sudden spurt in the number of gastro pateints is reportedly the non-availability of potable water in Savargaon. Villagers claimed that providing potable water to every one is the responsibility of the government and the administration. The government charges money to supply electricity and water. But the inefficiency of the government machinery in supplying clean water to Savargaon has come to the fore what with hundreds of people having been hit here.gastroenteritis patients started coming to primary health centre in. On the first day, 26 patients had come. But suddenly, the number of patients on July 12 and 13 increased. The deaths of Satish Namdeo Bagde (26) and Vaishnavi Ranjit Vanjari (11) rocked the district health department.

Under the guidance of district health officer Dr Yogendra Sawai, 22 teams were formed. These teams went door-to-door and brought gastroenteritis patients to hospital.

As many as 769 gastroenteritis patients were treated up to July 17. Out of these, 250 patients were admitted to the hospital and 37 patients were sent to Lata Mangeshkar Hospital in Katol. Patients were also referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) in Nagpur. Even today, gastroenteritis patients are being reported in Savargaon; 23 patients were found on Monday and eight have been admitted, it has been learnt.