Disease alert at coastal Pulluvila region

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two days after the outbreak of diarrhoea, the coastal Pulluvila region is coming back to normalcy with no new cases reported from the region. Though the health officials say the outbreak has been contained, the people are a bit worried as the place had seen two cholera outbreaks in 2002 and 2012.  Of the 25 persons who came for treatment at the Pulluvila Community Health Centre (CHC), six patients, including two children, are still admitted here. When three patients were referred to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital, two were admitted to Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital. A child has been referred to the SAT  hospital. 

District Medical Officer Dr P P Preetha said everything is under control. “No new cases have been reported as on Friday. We are waiting for the results of water and milk samples that were collected. Chlorination has already begun and once the results come in, we will be going for a super chlorination in the region,” she said.  She said house to house campaign will also be conducted as part of making people aware of the necessary precautions which are to be taken.  

Meanwhile, Pulluvila CHC medical officer V Nebu John said, “On the first day (Wednesday), 25 persons had sought treatment and 14 were discharged the same day as outpatients. Now the situation is under control.” He said they are on guard and preventive measures have been taken against an outbreak. “The public is a little worried and they relate all forms of vomiting to diarrhoea. But this is against facts,” he said. 

The outbreak was confirmed in wards 10 and 11 of Karumkulam grama panchayat. Medical camps were set up on Thursday in the region. Panchayat president G Hestin said the people of Pulluvila region are a bit worried. “Earlier there were two outbreaks of cholera. This is a coastal region and an outbreak could be disastrous. We have asked the health officials and also the field workers to be more cautious. They have told to take all precautionary measures.” 

The panchayat is planning an intensive campaign to make people aware of contagious diseases. “We will have a house to house campaign. Notices and pamphlets will also be issued. We will also be giving health announcements in and around the region in the coming days,” he said. Opposition rises against community health centreThe Community Health Centre at Pulluvila draws flak for not providing the necessary health care. Pointing out the CHS catered to three panchayats, Athiyanoor Block Panchayat Health Standing Committee chairman Raji Francis said the CHC is not equipped to meet any outbreak. “In case of an outbreak, the CHC has no facility to control it. There are not enough doctors, nurses and also lab technicians. For the last two years, the block panchayat had been giving representations to the government demanding more staff for the CHC. But nothing has happened till now,” she said. 

Moreover, she alleged the doctors were not available at the hospital when the patients came in on Wednesday and Thursday. It was only after the DMO came to the centre and called up the doctors did they came to look after the patients, she said. Noting an outbreak of diarrhoea was reported last week from the region, Theeram Charcha Vedi coordinator Adimalathura D Christudas said the recent outbreak would not have happened if the health officials and field workers had taken serious note of the earlier incident. “They should have collected water and food samples and sent for tests.

If they had done this, the recent outbreak could have been avoided,” he said. Pointing out there were serious lapses on the part of health officials, he said most of the time doctors were not available in the afternoon and evenings. 

With reports doing rounds that the outbreak of diarrhoea was caused by the potable water distributed through Karichal and Kumili water supply scheme, directions have been given to clean up the sources. A team led by additional director Dr K J Reena and state ORT officer Manjula Bhai had already visited the region and also the CWC. Apart from this, an expert team led by the DMO and doctors from the Community Medicine Department of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical college also visited the place.