RAIPUR: With yet another death due to renal failure reported in Supebeda village in Chhattisgarh, the death toll in the region reached 70 on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as 43-year-old Bhavani Sinha who had been sick for the past 16 months, and died due to prolonged illness.

The village is known for deaths due to kidney failure.

As per block medical officer (BMO) Sunil Bharti, Bhavani Sinha was undergoing treatment in Nawarangpur District Hospital in Odisha. The disease weakened his heart and he died of cardiac arrest in the hospital during treatment. He had been in the hospital since January 7.

The BMO recorded the statements of the family of the deceased. According to Bhavani’s medical report, his urea level was at 217 points — five times the normal level, while his creatine was at 6.2 — which affected his heart.

Talking to TOI, Trilochan Sonwani, a villager, who has lost 10 relatives due to kidney ailments, said that the increasing toll has triggered panic in the village once again.

BMO Bharti said, “A dialysis centre has been developed in Devbhog, 18km from Supebeda and the natives have submitted in written that they are sceptical about undergoing dialysis and prefer to resolve their kidney ailments through other medication.”

As per the block medical official, out of the total population of 1,200 in the village, 256 people were tested positive for kidney-related ailments.

Since the outbreak of the diseases, several research teams including Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR) from Delhi and from others metro cities have visited the place to collect blood samples.

As per the government reports, last year, 95 positive cases of renal diseases were reported in the village.

From 2005 to 2018, families of patients who died from kidney ailments were given Rs 20,000 from the Parliamentary Secretariat and Rs 50,000 from the chief minister’s relief fund.

According to the government survey report, the soil and water in the village contain harmful metals including chromium and cadmium.

After the report, six water filtration plants including three fluoride removal plants and three arsenic removal plants had been installed in Supebeda. A water pipeline powered by a solar pump from Nistiguda village was laid to provide water to Supebeda village. But nothing has been worked out to remove excess quantity of chromium and cadmium metal contents in water, suggest health experts.

*Original article online at https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/chhattisgarh-village-grapples-with-kidney-related-ailments-toll-reaches-70/articleshow/67778904.cms