Uddanam:The Andhra Pradesh government sanctioned a Super Specialty Hospital with a Kidney Research Centre and Dialysis Unit for the people of Uddanam area of Srikakulam district on Tuesday.
The upcoming 200-bedded hospital is estimated to cost around Rs 50 crore and will have a medical superintendent, one chief superintendent, a resident medical officer, and two senior assistant positions.
A chronic kidney disease called Uddanam Nephropathy has affected thousands of people in the region of Uddanam in Andra Pradesh.
In a study conducted by a central team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), excessive levels of silica, fluoride, and chromium were found in the aforesaid area's groundwater.
Not only that, the presence of phenols and mercury in water was also found to be very high, making it unfit and unsuitable for potable use.
Samples of vegetables, fishes and cereals of the area were also tested in the laboratories which confirmed the alarming condition of the groundwater.
Around 2419 people in the region were examined for six months, out of which 508 were suffering from kidney-related problems. According to reports, out of these 508 people, 60% were males and the remaining were females.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uddanam is one of the three zones in the world with the highest cases of chronic kidney disease, after Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.
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