Mahaling meets ailing women at hospital

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling on Monday paid a visit to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and enquired about the health condition of the two ailing tribal women who, along with a few others, fell ill recently after consuming mango kernel porridge at Madipanka village in Daringbadi area of Kandhamal district.

Following the deterioration in their health condition, the two women were shifted from MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur to SCB Medical for advanced treatment. Mahaling told mediapersons that the two women have been undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of the SCB Medical and their health condition is stable now.

A team of doctors, under the leadership of Dr Jayant Panda, has been constituted for the treatment of the two women. “The doctors’ team as well as the State government has been closely monitoring the health conditions of the two women. We will continue our efforts giving them the necessary treatment till they get cured and return to their homes ,” said Mahaling.

He said the government’s priority is to provide best treatment to the ailing tribal women so that they get cured soon. The Health Minister also said four of the six persons admitted in the MKCG Medical have recovered and returned to their homes while two persons have been shifted to SCB Medical.

Mahaling said consumption of mango kernel is a traditional food in the area. Notably, eight persons fell ill after consuming mango kernel porridge and rice at Madipanka village on October 29. All the sick persons were later admitted to Community Health Centre at Brahmanigaon where a woman succumbed the next day on October 30.

The doctors later referred the rest seven sick persons to MKCG Medical. On the basis of primary inquiry, the State government on Saturday clarified that food poisoning was the reason behind the deaths. Meanwhile, the Opposition parties alleged that the unfortunate deaths of the two women exposed the failed public distribution system in the State.