Quacks rule the roost in Agency area

Quacks rule the roost in Agency area

B.V.S. BHASKAR

Number of deaths due to treatment by quacks is on the rise in the Agency areas of Rampachodavaram. Four persons, including a woman and her baby, died last month alone.

An enquiry report by Y. Ramavaram mandal Tehsildar Md. Yusuf Jilani has revealed lapses in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and non-medical practices by a few under the garb of private medical practitioners. The enquiry was conducted based on the complaints lodged by Rampchaodvaram MLA Vantala Rajeswarai, upa-sarpanch of Boddagandi village in Y. Ramavaram Banam Nooka Raju and MPTCs of Donkarai, Boddagandi and other villages against RMP Maddela Yacob at Donkarai village.

The report says Mr. Yacob runs a clinic for the tribal people in the vicinity and collects huge amount from them. It has also recommended criminal action against him who reportedly produced fake certificate to the Deputy District Medical Officer, Rampachodavaram.

Drawing the officials’ attention to the fact that medical officers never available in the PHCs at Y. Ramavaram and Mangampadu, Mr. Jilani recommended conduct of medical camps in the region to make medical services accessible to the local tribal population.

Four deaths in a month were reported from Mangampadu, Boddagandi and other villages in Y. Ramavaram and Donkarai mandals respectively. Those who fell prey to lack of proper medical services and wrong medication include an 18-year-old Kollu Somi of Rollagadda village, who died along with her baby, Vikasa Varma Reddy, an eight-month-old son of Bujja Reddy and two-year-old son of Maregala Balayya, a tribal from Boddagandi.

The report quoted Mangampadu PHC doctor Abhishek as saying that Kollu Somi was hale and healthy until the sixth month of her pregnancy and she used to visit the PHC for regular check-ups. But at the time of delivery, she went to Mr. Yacob who referred her to a private doctor in Bhadrachalam in a very critical condition.

Bujja Reddy alleged that he lost his son first due to delay in treatment and later due to wrong medication. He said, from Mangampadu PHC, he shifted his son to Bhadrachalam and from there he tried to bring him back to Rampachodavaram but he died on the way. Maregala Balayya has alleged that wrong treatment by Mr. Yacob led to his death.