No jaundice, viral fever deaths among tribal students in Manyam, Health Minister tells A.P. Assembly

Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has informed the Assembly that no tribal students in the Manyam region have died due to jaundice or viral fevers, even as he acknowledged 11 deaths from other medical and accidental causes since June 2024.

The clarification was made in the House during Question Hour on Friday in response to a question raised by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLAs Matsyarasa Visweswara Raju and Regam Matyalingam. 

Speaker Chintakayala Ayyana Patrudu, who was in the Chair, announced that the question deemed answered, though the legislators were not present. 

Mr. Yadav said the government had taken note of the reports regarding the deaths of tribal students in the Manyam region. However, the district-level health authorities have verified that none of the deaths was caused by jaundice or viral fevers. Instead, the deaths were attributed to other medical conditions and accidental causes.

A total of 11 tribal students have died in the Manyam region since June 2024. The causes of death include meningitis, encephalitis, tuberculosis with meningitis, septic shock, liver abscess, cardiac arrest, and accidental drowning in ponds, he said.

As a precautionary measure, the government has launched comprehensive multi-sectoral interventions in Parvathipuram-Manyam district to safeguard the health of tribal students. Key steps include intensified school and hostel-based health surveillance, with Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) conducting visits twice a week, he said.

Staff shortage 

Responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Valmiki Parthasarathi about unhygienic food outlets, Mr. Yadav admitted that food safety tests were not being conducted at expected levels. It was due to a shortage of staff in the State, more particularly in the headquarters.

The Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) was bifurcated in 2022, though the State was bifurcated in 2014. While the sanctioned strength was 723, only 144 persons were working. The government was planning to fill 150 posts of the 579 vacant posts. While the sanctioned strength in the headquarters was 279, only seven persons were working, he said.

The Minister said that the Centre had sanctioned three food testing laboratories in the past and two more recently. The government is constructing these five labs at a cost of ₹100 crore. The labs will be set up in Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Tiruati and Kurnool. Additionally, one exclusive lab would be established with state-of-the-art facilities at Tirumala in light of the recent episode, he added.