Editor,
A 21-year-old man lost his life recently to scrub typhus – a disease that continues to claim lives silently across Arunachal Pradesh. After being bitten in his village, he travelled to Itanagar. A week later, he developed fever and body ache. He was admitted to Ramakrishna Mission Hospital and later shifted to the TRIHMS, where, despite all efforts, he breathed his last.
Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi and spread by infected chigger mites, is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the state. Its symptoms – fever, headache, and fatigue – often resemble malaria or typhoid, leading to late diagnosis and fatal complications. What makes it even more tragic is that the disease is both preventable and treatable, if detected early.
Arunachal has seen a steady rise in scrub typhus cases in recent years, particularly in rural and forested regions like Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, and West Kameng. Yet, awareness remains extremely low. Many rural health centres lack proper testing kits, trained staff, or medicines, forcing patients to travel long distances – often when it’s already too late.
This young man’s death must serve as a wake-up call. The government and health authorities need to take immediate action to equip all primary health centres with testing kits and essential antibiotics; launch mass awareness campaigns through schools, village councils, and local media; and promote preventive measures like clearing bushes and wearing protective clothing.
Behind every statistic is a story, a family, and a future cut short. Scrub typhus is not rare, it is ignored. No one should die of a disease that can be cured with awareness and timely care.
It’s time for Arunachal to act to protect its people, especially its youths, from this silent and deadly threat.
Tamin Kampik