VIJAYAWADA: There are over 350 patients suffering from kidney disease in 21 girijan lambada tandas of 16 villages in A. Konduru mandal, Krishna district. Around 50 of them are undergoing dialysis. However, because of most of the patients are agricultural labourers, they are unable to afford regular treatment and medication. Many of patients have been bedridden for years. CPI(M) leaders want the government to conduct an official survey with professional doctors and save the girijans of A. Konduru mandal.
CPI(M) leaders visited the mandal, brought back five patients from Geelanagar tanda and Chaitanya Nagar tanda, and presented them before the media on Friday. They said the main cause of their problem was fluoride in the water. Barotu Thaina from Deeplanagar tanda said, “I have been a kidney patient for the past six years, and my wife, Rami, also became a kidney patient two years ago. I am receiving treatment from a private doctor, and I give my wife the same medication. The cost of the medicines is Rs 3,500 per month. Be-cause we can’t afford to buy enough for the both of us, I only take the medicines for 15 days a month.”
The villagers say that neither the government officials nor politicians are taking care of them. Several lonely couples are suffering from kidney problems. They say that they have not been receiving the pension that is due to patients with kidney ailments, and some of them have not been receiving ration either. “In our primary survey, we identified 97 kidney patients and 14 patients requiring dialysis. There must be 150 to 200 patients at present,” said Dr M. Anusha, a medical officer at the A. Konduru PHC. “This PHC does not have the equipment to carry out testing or drugs for kidney patients. The main reason for this problem is that most of the men and women in this area are alcoholics,” she added.
Ch. Baburao, the convener of the CPI(M) Capital Coordination Committee, said he was ashamed of the government’s failure to identify the 500 kidney patients in A. Konduru and Gampalagudem mandals. He demanded that the government set up of a dialysis centre and the appointment of a nephrologist at the A. Konduru Primary Health Centre. D.V. Krishna, district secretary (west) of the CPI(M), said, “Over 20 patients have died in the past three years because of kidney problems. At least one person per house is suffering. Meanwhile, the officials say that there are only 16 patients in A. Konduru mandal.”
