Early Times Newspaper Jammu
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No compensation for victims of ‘mysterious disease’ in Udhampur
Kidney failure not a routine epidemic, Govt should compensate, say experts


Early Times Report

Jammu, Jan 28: Even as atleast ten children have died of mysterious disease and around a dozen others were hospitalized, the government is yet to announce any special relief or compensation for the victim families.
Health experts said the kids, mainly below four years of age, had died after suffering for symptoms like vomiting and fever. But what has remained shocking about all these cases is that the patients had also suffered from renal problem in the form of lower passage of urine in Ram Nagar block of Udhampur.
The health experts said the “renal problem” seems to be “kidney failure.” “Kidney failure is not a routine issue but a deadly concern. The government should get it probed and if it’s kidney failure the grant of ex-gratia for the affected families is much needed,” said a health expert on the condition of anonymity.
The health experts said the kidney failure cannot be ignored as a outbreak of some routine infection. “Such a deadly epidemic is rarely reported and thus it needs a high level probe and a compensation for the affected families because an epidemic of kidney failure is essentially due to the failure of the government is providing quality health care facilities to the people,” the health expert said.
It is pertinent to mention that at least ten children were decaled dead till January 21 while six of the ailing were hospitable in Jammu and Chandigarh.
The central government has rushed in a special team of doctors to the affected area. The team will submit a report before the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare.
When contacted a senior official in the Jammu and Kashmir government said the issue of relief to the affected families on such lines was yet to be discussed.
“Let the expert report come in, then only things can be discussed,” the official said.