Visakhapatnam: In the remote Neella Banda PVTG Kondu tribal village, nestled atop the hills of Arla Panchayat in Rolugunta mandal in Anakapalle district, a desperate struggle unfolded as the family of nine-year-old Gemila Simhadri carried him in a ‘doli’ for six kilometres through treacherous terrain to seek medical treatment.Suffering from a prolonged fever and painful boils on his hands, Simhadri had grown so weak that he could neither eat nor walk. His family transported him from their hilltop village to Kunjuththi in Ravikamatham mandal, where they found an auto-rickshaw to take him to Dharmavaram Private Hospital. With no ASHA worker in the village, first aid was unavailable, forcing his father and grandfather to undertake the arduous journey on foot. Despite government funds allocated under MGNREGA, tribal communities in these hilly regions continue to suffer from a lack of essential infrastructure. “We frequently travel to and fro, covering twelve kilometres for basic healthcare services, often facing neglect from medical officers,” said Gemila Chinna, the boy’s father. In response, Simhadri’s family and other villagers are urging the government to improve road access and healthcare facilities, to ensure no child has to endure such hardship again.
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