Balaghat, September 5 (Daily Kiran) : In Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed deep concern over the recent deaths of 30 children due to malaria and seasonal illnesses. He took to social media platform X to voice his distress, labeling the situation as alarming and tragic.
Gandhi emphasized that the lack of essential services such as clean drinking water, nutrition, and timely medical treatment is costing children’s lives. He called it a “complete failure” of the government and urged Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to take immediate action to provide investigation, treatment, and relief in the affected areas. “There can be no compromise when it comes to children’s lives,” he stated.
Among the victims was ten-year-old Gajendra Markam from the Baiga tribal village of Atariya Aramtohla, who died on September 3. Initial reports indicated that Gajendra was suffering from malaria, but the official cause of death will be confirmed following health department investigations and medical reports. This tragedy has raised the death toll from 29 to 30.
The ongoing fatalities have instilled fear among the local tribal community. In response, Chief Minister Yadav announced a compensation of two lakh rupees for the families of the deceased children.
The Congress party has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government for its handling of the crisis. They allege that the government is concealing facts about the deaths, suggesting that the actual number of fatalities may be significantly higher.
Health surveys conducted in the villages of Kundeksa, Korka, and Bondari revealed a total of 798 cases of malaria, diarrhea, rashes, fever, and skin diseases. As of Sunday, government reports indicated that 320 individuals had malaria, while 155 suffered from diarrhea, and 146 experienced fevers with rashes.
Out of the identified patients, 569 received treatment at home, while 229 were hospitalized. Among those admitted, 201 have since recovered and returned home, while 28 continue to receive treatment.
Health teams are actively conducting door-to-door surveys and treatment in the three affected villages. They are monitoring the situation closely and arranging hospital admissions as needed. The exact cause of the illnesses remains undetermined, with health officials citing symptoms linked to various infections, including malaria, skin infections, and malnutrition.
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