Nagpur: The Asola kidney failure deaths have brought forward a different socio-economic aspect of rural areas in Yavatmal — a district already infamous for farmer suicides. The village, over 20 kms from the city, saw 14 deaths due to kidney failure from 2011 to 2018. The area is now feared to be endemic to kidney ailments.
As pointed out by local leaders and also accepted by the residents, consumption of painkillers and steroids to de-stress is a common habit in the area. Apart from painkillers, steroids are preferred to subside swellings due to hard labour and also to get a high. Steroids give an artificial feeling of being stronger which is liked by the locals many of whom were found to be of a frail built.
The drugs of high power are easily available not only in the medicine stores but also in the neighbourhood grocery shops in the hinterland.
TOI also could easily buy a strip of Dexamethasone and Cyproheptadine-hypochlorite tablets. The former is a steroid and the latter helps in increasing appetite and cannot be purchased without a valid prescription. These are just one type of drugs which TOI purchased. Sources, including medical practitioners, say there are other types of painkillers too which are easily available in the market. Nimesulide and paracetamol are favourite pills of the locals.
Painkillers are known to have a direct impact on the kidney functioning. Steroids too create diabetes, hypertension which can ultimately harm the kidneys.
At Asola and neighbouring villages, the residents accepted that use of the pills was common especially during the farming seasons. “It’s called ‘hirvi goli’ (green pill) in the local jargon. The drug is available in the neighbourhood stores or even with doctors,” said Asola residents.
“During the seasons, I buy a week’s stock at one go. It gets tough indeed to work in the cotton and soyabean fields. The medicine is easily available locally and eases the pain,” said Dattaram Ade of Asola.
Many in the area work on their own fields and also double as farm hands. Body aches are common due to gruelling work. Painkillers area easily available for as little as Re1 a pill or Rs20 a strip, said locals.
Even those undergoing kidney treatment accepted of having taken painkillers. “Yes, we do take the pills because toiling in the fields leaves our limbs aching,” said Sandeep Ghadve, who is undergoing treatment. His mother too has kidney ailment. “I stopped taking nimesulide after falling ill. The doctor advised me not to have it,” he said.
Those in other villagers like Asegaon and Pandurna close-by too accepted apologetically of having the pills as and when needed.
Dr Avinash Chaudhary, nephrologist from Amravati, said steroids do not have a direct impact but can lead to other complications which can harm the kidney. Steroids can cause diabetes, hypertension and water retention. Painkillers like nimesulide are directly responsible for kidney troubles. A large number of patients in the area go to Dr Chaudhary’s hospital for dialysis.
“Water retention due to steroids can be a potential cause of kidney problems eventually. At the same time, nimesulide which is a widely accepted painkiller can lead to kidney troubles in the short-term,” said Dr Sanjay Kolte, a kidney transplant surgeon from Nagpur.
‘Weed killers contaminating groundwater’
Apart from the pills, kidney troubles are also being attributed to water contamination and rampant use of herbicides, which is a common practice in cotton growing areas. Painkillers and steroids are termed to be only an addition to the kidney damage. Dr Avinash Chaudhary, who claims to have treated a large number of patients from Yavatmal, said water needs to be tested independently.
“There is presence of heavy metals as well as salts in the water which can cause kidney problems. Farmers use glyphosate in cotton farms which is a major reason too. The chemical seeps into groundwater leading to contamination,” said Chaudhary. If his claim stands true, it may create a major ripple in the cotton growing business. Farmers are freely using herbicides because of availability of illegal herbicide-tolerant seeds which are genetically modified variety.
Chaudhary, who held a health camp at the village on Monday, said water samples should be tested for heavy metals by five independent laboratories. The reports of the government laboratory at Pune, where the samples have been sent, cannot be solely relied upon. An agency like National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) can be roped in,” he said.
“Due to high salinity, there is hard water in the area. Hard water can lead to kidney troubles,” said Chaudhary.
Ajay Rathore, pathologist from the village who raised an alarm about the kidney deaths, said salinity is the main culprit.
Dr Sanjay Kolte, kidney specialist from Nagpur, said hard water can lead to kidney stones which can lead to other problems over a period. However, painkillers make an impact in the short-term.
Kishore Tiwari, chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM), also blamed water more than painkillers for the diseases.
