Kaliapani: The efforts of administration failed to save the life of Manasi, one of the malnourished kids in Nagada in Jajpur district amid reports that malaria has been spreading in the area.
Though recuperated from malnutrition, she died of malaria at Tata Steel Central Hospital Friday. Manasi was the last of 20 kids affected by malnutrition for which the state government had to face severe flak from various quarters a few months ago. Then, 19 kids had died of malnutrition.
According to reports, Dhaneswar Pradhan and his wife had admitted their daughter Manasi to Tata Steel Central Hospital Thursday. “She was down with fever for the last eight days. As fever grew, I had admitted her at the hospital Thursday morning. She was administered some medicines, but they did not work. She succumbed at 9 am before being shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Jajpur town,” said Dhaneswar.
It was learnt that the tribal couple had to wait for two hours for ambulance to carry her body home. Sukinda tehsildar Nabakrushna Jena reached the hospital and provided Rs 10,000 to the couple for funeral rites.
The administration had made all out efforts in providing treatment to Manasi while she was battling for life. She had recuperated. Various media had then carried her picture repeatedly in their reports. She had turned the face of Nagada’s malnutrition scenario then.
On the other hand, while the government has been carrying out development for the tribal village, the major concern for the tribal residents is malaria. Two malaria-hit kids in the village had died in May. It was alleged that the health department has failed to take effective steps to check the spread of malaria. Health officials used to go to the village every Wednesday and checked the health of kids.
However, the spread of malaria in Nagada has posed a question mark on the visit of health officials. PNN
