At least two children have died and more than 20 others are suffering from diarrhoea in Architaguda under Ravanaguda Gram Panchayat of Jharigaon block of the district.
The villagers informed that one Sangita Bhatra (4), daughter of Trilochan Bhatra died last Sunday while, after two days, daughter of Giridhar Bhatra also succumbed to the disease.
A medical team rushed to the village on Sunday and sifted one Manbodh Bharta (5) to the District Headquarters Hospital, Nabarangpur in serious condition. Urmila Bhatra (5), Anti Bhatra, Lata Bhatra, (35) and Kamana Gouda (6) have been sifted to the Zonal Hospital at Umerkote.
The medical team headed by Dr Bismaya Kumar Rout and Dr Himansu Mishra with staffs are treating other patients at the village. Dr Raut said, “We suspect polluted water is the cause of the diarrhea outbreak,” adding that most of the affected were children and women.
Interestingly, there are four hand-pumps for the entire village inhabited by 1,365 people. Out of the wells, only one is in working condition. Villagers depend on dug-wells and ponds for drinking water and bathing purposes which is said to be the cause of infection. Though Collector Sibabrata Dash had directed all officials including Asha and Anganwadi workers in all meetings to check diarrhoea to make the district diarrhoea free, it has gone in vain.
