Nine Infant Deaths in 9 Months at Telangana Village Raise Alarm

The infant deaths at Regellagumpu village under Bachchuvarigudem panchayat of Bhadradri Kothagudem district have caused a pall of gloom among the locals especially the women who alleged that the concerned staff of the health department and ICDS have been negligent in their duties to provide medicines and nutritious food to them.

Ashwaraopeta: The deaths of nine infants in the last nine months at a far-off tribal village in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana has highlighted the alleged lack of nutritious food and medicines among the expecting mothers with the locals accusing the health and ICDS officials of depriving the women of the facilities. The local authorities have denied the allegations.

The deaths of the infants at Gothikoyalagudem 'Regellagumpu' under Bachchuvarigudem panchayat of Bhadradri Kothagudem district's Ashwaraopeta mandal have left the locals in shock and grief. There are 45 families in this village with a population of 197. The residents presently include 34 children under the age of five, 13 infants and eight pregnant women

To reach Regallagumpuna, one has to walk for seven kilometers through a dense forest area from Pedavagu project village in Ashwaraopeta mandal, crossing seven streams in the hills and thorny bushes. As a result, allegations are being made by the locals that the medical staff is neglecting to give medicines to pregnant women after conducting tests every month.

The ICDS staff is also in the dock with the locals accusing the department of depriving the pregnant woman of nutritious food. It seems that due to these reasons, babies are born sick and infant deaths occur.

"Medical personnel are not coming to our house. They come around once in a while. At times. At the time of their arrival, we are busy in the fields and cannot meet them. It would be better if the information is given in advance. After walking eight kilometers in the forest, we went to the Gummadavalli hospital, but there was no one there. They don't care about us," Idimi, an expecting mother, complained.

Madakam Lakshmi, a nursing mother, said that the local Anganwadi centres were not providing nutritious food to the beneficiaries at Regellagumpu. “Eggs, milk, and other food items are not given at least once a month. When they come to the village, the officials give an impression as if everything is given'', Lakshmi said.

Gummadavalli Medical Officer Dr Madhulika put the blame on the women saying that the women “do not come to the hospital after getting pregnant”. “Even if the staff went inside the house, they did not come forward to undergo medical tests. Along with this, they leave their newborn babies at home and go to work. Due to this, there is a possibility that the baby may fall ill and die due to not being given milk on time," the Medical Officer said.

Ashwaraopet ICDS CDPO Rozharani said that nutritious food is being supplied to Gothikoya children, pregnant women, and infants from the nearby Gandlagudem Anganwadi center which is 9 km to Regalla.

An official said that all the nine babies who died were born at home. Three of them are the fourth child of their parents while four (two of them are twins) are the third child. In addition to the lack of nutrition and medical facilities, it seems that due to the lack of knowledge about family planning among the tribals here, the women are also suffering from anemia due to multiple births.