Excelsior Correspondent
ANANTNAG, Apr 28: Expressing grave concern over the plight of hundreds of inhabitants of remote Takia Magam and Sundbrari hamlets in Kokernag area affected by Hepatitis-C disease, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has sought the intervention of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in rushing urgent medicare facilities to the hapless people there.
Mehbooba, along with senior PDP leader Tariq Hameed Karra visited the affected villages yesterday.
In a statement, Mehbooba said that according to the locals, since the outbreak of the hazardous disease in December 2012, around 1700 persons out of a population of 4000 souls in the two villages have been tested positive for the virus. “Given the huge costs involved in the treatment of the disease, it is almost impossible for the poor people of the area to get the adequate healthcare facilities,” she said and added that unfortunately even after being fully aware of the plight of the affected people in these villages, the State Government seems to be least bothered about reaching out to them with proper medicare facilities.
The PDP president has urged the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to personally intervene in the matter and depute a team of specialist doctors to the affected villages with medicines and other equipment as it is almost impossible for the patients from such a remote area to arrive at SKIMS Srinagar frequently for treatment.
“As the State Government is in complete slumber and the Union Health Ministry has already intervened timely in the spurious drug scam, I urge Azad Sahab to provide the much-needed medicare facilities to the hapless residents of Takia Magam and Sundbrari affected by Hepatitis-C with already one precious life having been lost to the fatal disease,” she said.
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