Alapuzha: It is reported that the state health department has initiated safety measures in response to the tragic death of 15-year-old Gurudutt in Alappuzha due to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Accorting to reports, three others who bathed in the Poochakkal canal with Gurudutt are being monitored in light of the assumption that the Panavally resident’s untimely death was caused by bathing in the canal. The disease has not yet manifested in any way in the three minors. The Poochakkal canal is extremely flooded and contaminated. Given these conditions, there is a strong likelihood that diseases may spread to the homes near the canal.
The fact that PAM is not communicable is very reassuring. However, the buildup of sewage and water logging unintentionally raise the risk of the spread of diseases like rat fever. Residents in the vicinity have been urged to exercise caution against rat fever by the health department. Representatives of the public and health professionals have visited the area and cautioned the locals. There was also a class held to raise awareness of the situation. Health Inspector M.G. Vinod Kumar, Medical Officer Dr. Rubin Joseph, Ward Members Rajini Rajesh and Laila Beevi, among others, led the activities at the Panavally Family Health Center. MP A.M. Arif expressed his condolences during his visit to Gurudutt’s home.
Poochakkal Canal is a garbage dump…
Poochakkal canal connects the Vembanad lake to the Kaithapuzha lake. The Poochakkal canal has long served as a disposal for different types of waste. There are currently no policies in place to prevent littering. The flow of the canal has slowed as a result of the accumulation of garbage. At times, the stream’s bottom may be seen as the water level is too low.
The Irrigation Department had deepened the canal a few years ago by clearing the accumulated garbage. Poochakkal is now a breeding ground for various pathogens. Despite this, kids bathe in this brook.
According to medical experts, amoebic disease is not contagious. They eat bacteria that are typically found in the sediments at the bottom of water bodies. As a result, it primarily infects those who go deep under water. Consuming water that contains amoeba won’t infect you, but water that gets into your nose can make you infected. The amoeba may enter the human body during swimming, deep diving, prolonged immersion in the water etc.,
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