Health officials from Canacona Community Health Centre on a visit to Cotigao village on Wednesday.
CANACONA
Locals in Cotigao have been unhappy with health officials for taking chicken pox cases lightly and claim over two dozen cases had been reported over the past few months.
They claimed that health officials had ignored reported cases of chickenpox since it broke out some months ago in the village and did not take any precautionary measures to curb the spread of the highly contagious viral disease.
According to sources, the first case of chickenpox, locally known as 'Fugao', first came to light during the last Ganesh festival.
When more cases were being reported, some villagers went to the Canacona Community Health Centre (CHC) to report the matter.
“They were, however, ignored by the health officials who claimed no such case of chickenpox has been reported and not a single chickenpox patient came to the CHC. The locals were also told that health and Anganwadi workers keep a close watch in the village and no such case had been reported at the CHC,” said a source.
On Tuesday, a woman with suspected chickenpox symptoms suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the CHC and it was only then that some health staff got alerted and informed the health officer.
The health officer then lost no time in forming a surveillance team to visit Cotigao village.
While the Health Team has screened most households in the village, health workers are reportedly collecting information/details of other residents travelling or staying outside the village to verify if the highly contagious disease may have spread outside the village.
