Third tribal baby dies in Attappadi

Official toll two. Death of premature baby of woman from Thoova hamlet not counted 
Image used for representation
Image used for representation

PALAKKAD: One more Scheduled Tribe (ST) baby’s death was reported from Attappadi on Friday. The three-day-old boy was the first child of Sunish and Geethu of Veetiyoor in Pudur panchayat. He weighed 2.2 kg. He was suffering from pneumonia. 

Though he is the third ST infant to die in the last one week in Attappadi, health officials have admitted to only two infant deaths. Dr R Prabhudas, deputy district medical officer and superintendent of Tribal Special Hospital at Kottathara in Attappadi, said during the ultrasound scanning done one month ago, complications were noticed and Sunish and Geethu were advised to go to the Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital. However, they did not go there. On Friday, they agreed to go to Mannarkad taluk hospital by which time the child died.

On Wednesday, Thulasi Balakrishnan, 23, an ST woman from Kuruvankandiyil in Attappadi who was suffering from sickle cell anaemia, died at Thrissur MCH. On Monday, she delivered through a caesarean section but the baby was stillborn. The second infant death occurred on Wednesday, which has not been officially accepted. Valli of Thoova tribal settlement in Attappadi had given birth to an underweight baby in the seventh month of pregnancy on October 13. The boy of Valli and Rajendran weighed only 715 grams at birth and 1kg when he died on Wednesday. 

Minister for the Welfare of SC and ST K Radhakrishnan has asked the director of the department concerned T V Anupama to inquire and submit a report on the death of the ST mother due to sickle cell anaemia. Radhakrishnan will visit Attappadi on Saturday to assess the situation. A meeting will be convened in Agali at 10am. 

Seven tribal infant deaths have been reported in Attappadi so far this year and two infant deaths in the last three days, according to health department officials. However, there have been 10 tribal infant deaths in Attappadi this year, as per unofficial reports. Health Minister Veena George has directed the director of health services to carry out an inquiry into the infant deaths in Attappadi and submit a report.

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