Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought personal intervention of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for immediate facilitation of Central assistance to Rourkela to control the recent outbreak of diarrhoea. In the letter written Wednesday, Pradhan said, “I am writing to seek your intervention regarding the urgent need for Central assistance to Rourkela and nearby affected areas in Odisha to control and address the recent outbreak of diarrhoea.” He said, “The severity of outbreak of diarrhoea in Rourkela and the potential risk it poses to public health is alarming.
At least eight deaths reported and over 600 individuals currently undergoing treatment. The disease is suspected to be caused by water contamination, leading to severe health complications among the affected populace.” “Keeping in mind the welfare of the people of Rourkela and nearby areas, I seek your personal intervention in immediate facilitation of central assistance to Rourkela and other affected areas in Odisha, for controlling and addressing the diarrhoea outbreak.” At least ten persons were killed by diarrhea outbreak, while more than 1,000 persons are undergoing treatment in the hospitals in Rourkela. Patients suffering from diarrhoea started arriving at the hospital December 10 and the number of patients kept rising over the next few days. The increase in number of diarrhoea patients in the city has raised serious concerns.
As many as five places in the city have become hotspots for the infective disease. Those places are Daily Market, Nala Road, Kishan Tola and Udit Nagar. Meanwhile, Commissioner of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner Subhankar Mohapatra Tuesday said that the diarrhoea situation is currently under control and claimed to bring normalcy back to Rourkela in 2-3 days.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP