BERHAMPUR: Despite efforts of the government and NGOs, superstitions prevail in remote areas of the state, especially those inhabited primarily by tribals.
In yet another incident reported from Karapa village in Kalyansinghpur block of Rayagada district, a nine-year-old girl lost her life as her parents took her to a quack instead of a doctor after she fell ill.
Sources said Rashmita Nachika of Krushnapatraguda village stayed at the hostel of the ashram school at Karapa. She fell ill on November 28 and the school authorities informed her father Suburu Nachika the next day. Suburu reached the hostel and took Nachika home where he got her treated by a quack.
But, Nachika’s condition worsened late at night and she was admitted to Kalyansinghpur hospital. As she did not respond to treatment, she was referred to the district headquarters hospital and then to SLN Medical College and hospital in Koraput.
However, she succumbed while being shifted to Koraput. Doctors who attended to Nachika said she was not treated on time owing to which her condition worsened. On the other hand, Suburu and others from his village blamed the school authorities for Nachika’s death. Suburu said the doctors told him that Nachika had been suffering from malaria for the last several days and he was informed of her condition only a few days back.
Suburu admitted to having her daughter treated by a quack as he was not sure of the ailment. Nachika’s body was brought to Krushnapatraguda on the day. A female priest holding a live chicken in her mouth crawled on the road before the body was cremated.