Bhopal: The Congress has claimed that nine children have died amid an outbreak of illness in Baiga-dominated villages of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, where hundreds of people have reportedly fallen ill since June 26, party sources said.
The health department, however, has so far reported hospitalisation of 100 children suffering from various ailments, with 93 of them recovering.
Authorities are yet to establish the exact cause of the illnesses and the number of causalities.
The affected children have shown symptoms associated with multiple infections, including those resembling malaria and scabies, besides signs of nutritional deficiencies, according to the Balaghat district administration.
“The children who died and those who have been hospitalised have shown symptoms of multiple infections, including those similar to malarial fever and scabies skin infection, besides signs of nutritional deficiencies,” Balaghat Chief Medical and Health Officer Paresh Uplap said.
Blood and water samples have been sent to specialised laboratories, including an ICMR institution in Kolkata and the National Institute of Virology in Pune, for testing.
The reports are awaited, Uplap said.
Villages, including Machhurda, Adori, Bondari, Korka and Kundekasa, have reported illnesses for nearly 40 days.
Kundekasa is among the worst-affected areas, prompting the administration to set up a temporary health centre at a government school.
The health department has reported cases of malaria, typhoid, fungal and skin infections, scabies, measles, fever, cold and cough, dehydration and other ailments in the affected belt.
Twenty survey teams, 10 medical officers and four ambulances have been deployed for door-to-door screening, treatment and transportation of patients.
The administration said eight additional children were brought to hospital on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.
According to the district administration, at present (till Thursday evening), 15 children are undergoing treatment and their condition is reported to be normal and satisfactory, the administration added.
It said that the situation is under control and surveillance is continuing in the affected villages.
The health crisis has also raised concerns over healthcare access, malnutrition, sanitation and the difficulties of providing medical services in remote tribal settlements.
The Congress has put the reported deaths at nine and ramped up its response to the situation with the Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP), Umang Singhar, would be meeting the families who lost their children in Balaghat on Friday.
(IANS)
