Acute renal failure death toll in A.P. goes up to five, milk vendor arrested

The death toll due to acute renal failure allegedly after consuming adulterated milk in Rajamahendravaram has gone up to five, with a six-year-old boy, Bathina Manohar, dying while undergoing treatment in King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. The other deceased have been identified as Seshagiri Rao, Radhakrishna Murthy, T. Ramani and Krishna Veni.

The health condition of seven of the 15 patients undergoing medical treatment for acute renal failure in various hospitals in Rajamahendravaram and Visakhapatnam is ‘critical’. Seven patients are on ventilatory support, and three of them are undergoing dialysis on ventilation, said an official health bulletin issued by East Godavari District Collector Kirthi Chekuri.

All five deceased and 15 persons undergoing medical treatment had consumed milk that was supplied by one vendor, identified as Addala Ganeswararao. The Collector and Rajamahendravaram City MLA Adireddy Srinivas handed over cheques of ₹10 lakh as ex-gratia to the kin of four deceased. 

“As many as 41 milk samples and fodder have been sent to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute, Vijayawada. The reports are awaited,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kovvuru DSP G. Deva Kumar said that the milk vendor, Addala Ganeswara Rao, was arrested on Tuesday. He has been running Varalakshmi Dairy for over a decade. 

Former Health Minister Vidadala Rajini, who met the families of the patients, demanded that the government give an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh to each deceased.

The government has asked the private hospital authorities to submit reports on the estimated cost for the treatment of the patients.