Post News Network
Nabarangpur, Dec 25: Officials Friday launched a probe into the branding of a 28-day-old baby boy of Butipadar village under Sadar block of Nabarangpur district which led to his hospitalization in a critical state.
Based on a report by block development officer Gunanidhi Nayak and following an order from district collector Rashmita Panda, child development project officer (CDPO-in-charge) RS Basanti filed a case with local police against shaman Purushottam Majhi of Kumujhar village for his role. The infant is found to have contracted severe pneumonia, hospital sources said, adding that the infant is on oxygen support. The infant also underwent a blood transfusion, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, health supervisor Binita Jethi went to Kumujhar to question the shaman who branded the baby.
The baby’s parents – Prasanna Mohan Kishan and Rukmini – driven by superstition, allowed Majhi to brand their baby boy on several parts of his abdomen as they felt the infant’s belly was swollen. The infant was two weeks old at the time of the horrific incident.
The matter came to light when the couple brought the baby to the district headquarters hospital Wednesday, almost two weeks after the incident. The couple said they brought the baby to the hospital after they realised that he was not recuperating and his condition became aggravated.
The incident baffled many as Rukmini herself is an Anganwadi worker, who plays an important role in ensuring safe motherhood and curbing malnutrition cases in children as part of the government’s health awareness drive.
During the probe, Rukmini admitted that she was a mute spectator to the gruesome incident when her family members decided to apply the traditional healing practice on her 14-day-old son. The silence of the Anganwadi worker, who is meant to recommend people to consult physicians in case of illness, in her baby’s case has only exposed the mindset of rural people who still believe in superstition instead of medical treatment.
On the other hand, it is learnt that quacks have been branding children for ages. Rural people still consider their action as a ‘service’ unless cases like these reach the hospital, sources said.