RMPs turning rural, tribal patients into drug addicts

Drug abuse is prevalent among the people in the rural and tribal areas of the erstwhile Adilabad district as rural medical practitioners (RMPs) prescribe high doses, most of which are painkillers and steroids that give temporary relief.

But, steroids badly affect the functioning of the body and patients become addicted to such drugs over a period of time.

Medicines like Diclofenac and Decadron (tablet and injection), Betnesol and Prednisone keep the patients in a euphoric state and give immediate relief to the patients, but it also fuels the catabolism, resulting in the tissue breakdown by destructing the metabolism, in the body.

Patients easily get these drugs from the medical stores without any valid prescription by the qualified doctors. 

About its side-effects, a doctor working at a government hospital in Utnoor said: the “patients will suffer from obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney diseases and health problems related to heart”.

He said government authority should take steps to control the drug abuse and create awareness among the people as well as RMP’s about the ill effects of steroids and painkillers, and added over a period of time the patients would become habitual for these medicines.

The ill the effects of above medicines will come to light only when the patients go to higher medical centers and through examination.

There is a strong feeling among the rural and tribals people that they get immediate relief, if they go to a local RMP when they fell sick without knowing about the medicines the latter prescribe and their ill effects.

It is a general practice that the RMPs would send the patients suffering from side effects to the doctors who run big Nursing homes and hospitals in the towns with whom they had a close network and regularly get commissions for sending patients.

The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor officials, has identified more than 3,000 RMPs working in 13 mandals in the old Adilabad district and found that they were giving the wrong diagnosis to the patients, especially tribals, thereby posing a threat to their life.

A few months ago, ITDA officials had closed an RMPs clinic in Utnoor for causing the death of a tribal by the wrong diagnosis.

Spurt in cardiac-related ailments

2 D Echo machine use in diagnosis for cardiac problems 

Cardiac problems are on the rise in the Adilabad district, most of which are attributed to smoking, alcoholism, junk food, hypertension and working long hours in the same place.

Alcohol consumption is rampant in the Adilabad district and district has topped in the liquor sales in the state. The sale of cheap liquor, Gudumba (illicitly distilled liquor), spurious toddy is also high in the Adilabad shares borders with the Maharashtra.           

The habit of chewing tobacco and smoking beedi is predominant among the Adivasis and a section of people in the district.

According to official sources, people of Adilabad have consumed all kinds of liquor worth Rs 573 crore in the year 2014-15 and Rs 715 crore in 2015-16.      

Medical experts say that people are eating more food containing high levels of carbohydrates leads to cardiac related health problems especially with the changed life styles unlike in the past.

It is found that some of the people not doing any physical work and having sedentary lifestyles are at higher risk.

According to medical experts, the number of patients suffering from cardiac-related health problem and being treated at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Adilabad has increased in the last one year.

Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) which was established at RIMS witnessing  several patients suffering from cardiac problems and the number of deaths has increased.

Some of the elderly persons suffering from cardiac problems coupled with the respiratory problems such as Asthma were at heightened risk.

Cardiologist Dr. Anjani Kiranmayi is now supervising the ICCU at RIMS and attending the patients. A 2D Echo unit has been set up attached to the ICCU for a speedy diagnosis.

An awareness health camp was organized for the senior citizens about the cardiac related health problems and how to avoid them by taking some precautions. Screening tests conducted to outpatients suffering from cardiac-related health problems at RIMS.

Tribals prone to diabetes due to alcoholism