Mahakalapara: Even as the uproar over the death of 18 malnourished kids in Jajpur district’s Nagada village is yet to die down, a two and a half year old boy died reportedly due to malnutrition at a tribal hamlet under this block in Kendrapara district Tuesday, a report said.
The deceased was identified as the son of Babuli Bhakta and Kuni Bhakta of Sabarpada village under Barakandha panchayat.
According to reports, the village mostly inhabited by Sabar tribals has over 150 households with a population of 800. They live on government land and earn their living by fishing in rivers as they do not have any farmland.
The tribals, originally hailing from Mayurbhanj district, identify themselves as descendants of Jara Sabar, an ancient tribal king and a famous devotee of Lord Jagannath.
According to sources, the minor was allegedly suffering from a host of problems like malnutrition, anaemia, mouth ulcers, diarrhoea and vomiting. The poor couple had got their son treated at the district headquarters hospital three months back.
However, he soon fell sick and was admitted to Ramnagar primary health centre (PHC) where it failed to recover and died Tuesday as his parents failed to get him treated elsewhere due to lack of money, the sources said.
After reports surfaced, observers have raised questions over the quality of food supplied to kids at the local Anganwadi centre which has over 130 children on its roll. They claimed that many of the children in adjoining Lunimathia, Jangaligheri and Sabarpada villages are suffering from malnutrition due to lack of nutritious food.
Their health condition is no less critical and many more such incidents might take place if steps are not taken at earliest, a villager Ramesh Chandra Bhakta said. He alleged that many children of Sabarpada are yet to be enrolled in the Anganwadi centre. The incident has sent shockwaves in the area. PNN
