Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jajpur/Bhubaneswar, Jul 15:

With as many as 17 children dead in the last six months including five in the last 20 days due to some unknown disease, Nagada-a settlement of Juanga tribes in Chingudipala panchayat under Sukinda block in Odisha’s Jajpur district is panic struck.

Nagada village infants under treatment

Currently, 25 children are battling for their lives. All are aged between three-eight months.

While the real cause of the deaths of these children remains to be ascertained, the Health department officials of the district have collected blood samples of 25 suffering children for tests and suspect the deaths could be due to malnutrition and malaria.

Finally, the government has woken up to the situation, a team of the district administration and Health department has arrived in the village.

A team from the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) will soon visit the village to search for the reason behind the deaths.

Out of the 25 children, 10-12 are suffering from malnutrition.

“Child deaths have occurred. About 15 children have died which is a matter of concern for all of us. A team of Health officials has arrived yesterday. We brought 20 children from the village and have provided them with the treatment at the TSR Hospital in Kaliapani. We are also trying to get the other three children who are critical,” said Maheswar Panigrahi, Sub-Collector Jajpur.

The Health secretary has stressed on setting up of a temporary nutrition rehabilitation centre and provision of potable drinking water in the affected village.

“A team from the RMRC will leave for the place tomorrow to investigate the cause of the deaths. We are going to open a temporary nutrition rehabilitation centre there. Are also planning to provide supplementary nutrition and fortified take home ration to them,” said Arti Ahuja to reporters after a review meeting of the Health department at the state secretariat in Bhubaneswar today.