South Asia Floods

As a deadly cholera outbreak hits tribal areas of Orissa, ActionAid is helping to check the spread of the virus by organising health camps for local people.

Local sources have told ActionAid that nearly 250 people have died in Koraput, Rayagada and Kalahadi, more than double the official death toll of 115.

The provincial government has announced compensation of Rupees 10,000 (about US$245) to families of the dead.

Yet Bratindi Jenna, ActionAid’s manager in Orissa said that concerns have been expressed that official figures are being kept deliberately low in order to minimise the amount of compensation.

“If the government reveals the true figure, they would have to offer compensation to many more families,” she said.

The outbreak erupted after severe flooding forced local people to drink contaminated water and eat rotten food.

“Contamination of open water sources from faecal material is bound to increase the number of cholera patients,” says Dr. Unnikrishnan PV ActionAid’s Emergencies and Conflicts Advisor in Asia.

Too little too late?

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik says affected people are being treated by special medical teams at various hospitals.

But news reports say the state medical administration is facing an acute staff crunch.

Blame game

Those affected are mainly ‘tribal’ people; indigenous communities who suffer from widespread discrimination and official neglect.

ActionAid has condemned local government officials who say that tribal people themselves are responsible for the cholera outbreak, blaming the scale of the epidemic on their drinking from unsafe water supplies.

“Diarrhoea and cholera outbreaks happen nearly every year in this region and on average about 50 people die annually. But lessons are not being learned,” said Bratindi Jenna.

“There needs to be a shift in provincial culture of blaming the tribal way of life for disease outbreaks. The local administration should accept its responsibility for ensuring access to safe drinking water and public health facilities.”

ActionAid response

So far 3500 families from 30 villages in three blocks – Lanjigarh, Kalyansinghpur and Bishancuttack of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts – have benefited from ActionAid mobile health camps with over 1500 receiving treated for diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.

Oral rehydration solution (ORS) and halogen water-purification tablets are being distributed, alongside advice to drink boiled water and avoid open streams.

Bleaching powder has been sprayed into over 130 wells, with Swasthya Vahini (health drive) groups cleaning drives in 30 villages.