Health Department Brings Melioidosis-Hit Turkapalem Back To Normalcy

Vijayawada: Most blood culture reports of 102 ill patients from Turkapalem village in Guntur district have turned out negative to melioidosis bacterial infection, providing a relief to the state government. As per an analysis of the blood culture report, of the 102 patients, 65 turned negative to melioidosis bacterial infection, four tested positive to the infection while eight people had other bacterial infections.

Out of the six patients admitted in the government hospital, two had been discharged by Wednesday evening. The remaining four are undergoing treatment. State health authorities have adopted a three-pronged approach to deal with the health condition of people in the Turkapalem village.

Of the nearly 1,450 blood samples of the ill tested, authorities are checking out abnormalities like in lipid profile and issues with vital organs. Accordingly, specialist doctors are treating the patients. As some people are in shock following the death of their family members or villagers, others have gone into depression. Psychiatrists are providing counselling to such villagers.

There are also people in the village habituated to consumption of alcohol who are facing related health problems. Psychiatrists are counselling them too.

Health authorities have asked specialist doctors to undertake a deep study of the health issues in the village and recommend measures to avoid such issues from repeating in future. As a safety measure, authorities are already supplying potable water through tankers in the village. They are not allowing villagers to use water from borewells as a precautionary measure. Health commissioner G. Veerapandian said, “The health condition of the people is getting normal in the village and the situation is under control.” In addition, AP Pollution Control Board authorities have carried out ambient air quality tests in the village. They have found that the air quality is within permissible limits.

Guntur PCB environmental engineer Nazeena Begum said, “We have found no major air pollutants in the village except for the presence of a few road metal quarries.

The ambient air quality is within permissible limits.” Rural water supply authorities say 16 samples of water collected from various sources including borewells and RO plants in the village have been sent to the lab in Hyderabad for analysis. Its report is awaited. Authorities are continuing supply of potable water at the rate of 40 litres per head to nearly 2,300 people in the village. Further, revenue authorities are supplying food to villagers. They intend to continue it until normalcy is restored in the village.