The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Villagers screened for ailments

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 06, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Villagers screened for ailments

Staff Reporter

A team of nine specialists screened about 200 families in four villages

CHENNAI: A team of nine specialists from Chennai screened about 200 families in four villages in Andhra Pradesh for various ailments on Sunday. The team included a cardiologist, gynaecologist, orthopaedist, dentist, ophthalmologist, physician, gastroenterologist, paediatrician and an ENT specialist. The team checked for thyroid and kidney function, lipid profile, ECG, X-Ray and ultra sound scanning.

The doctors who visited Varadaiahpalam, Govardhanapuram, Darakasthu and NTR Nagar found that 70 per cent of the adult population suffered from osteoarthritis of the knees and osteoporosis before turning 40. Though the villagers grow greens and vegetables and rear buffaloes the products are sold. As the villagers' diet comprises meat and low-fibre products, they suffered from constipation.

Lack of water supply, poor sanitation and open-air defecation had impacted the health of the villagers who were mostly agricultural labourers or weavers with seasonal income. While 90 per cent are illiterate, five per cent have studied up to standard V. Children drop out to supplement family earnings or to take care of siblings.

Women suffer from backache induced by strain of carrying water pots or due to pelvic and uterine infection.

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