The money they receive from the government welfare scheme is largely deficient and inadequate in meeting their requirement over a month. Medical expenses are an additional burden. Two-year-old Brundabati weighs six Kg three less than normal. And neither she, nor her parents can be blamed for that. After all, poverty stalks them from close quarters. The family does not have enough to eat.

 

“My husband works as a daily wage labourer. But mostly he stays at home due to non-availability of work. The earnings are not enough to keep the family away from starvation and a nutritious diet is a far cry,” said Bhagabati, mother of Brundabati at Podaiguda village. Bhagabati has two more children.

 

Four-year-old Mummu Sai Kirsani, weighs only nine Kg when her weight should be 13 Kg. Kumita Badnaik, who is 29 month old, weighs 7.5 Kg, much lesser than her expected weight. Out of the 59 children between zero and five years at Podaiguda, 37 are in different stages of malnutrition. Five of them are severely malnourished.

 

According to a survey, 25 per cent children are in grade II, III, and IV of malnutrition. Sources said early marriages among the tribals are a major reason behind the malnutrition problem. A majority of the girls here marry early between 12 to 15 years and soon conceive. As a result, the health of these women as well as that of their children deteriorates. Apart from tribals’ healthcare practices, absence of any supplementary diet, unhygienic living conditions, chronic diseases and apathetic attitude of officials concerned are also responsible for malnutrition among children.

“The tragedy of persistent child malnutrition in the district reflects failure of health and nutrition delivery mechanisms. The government schemes to counter malnutrition have failed in the area. The apathy of the officials is also largely responsible for such cases. At present, over 2,000 children in the district are severely malnourished,” alleged Sanjit Patnaik, a local social activist.

 

“Though they are supposed to provide cooked nutritious diet to theses children at Anganwadi centres, officials give away the nutritious milk powder to parents to take it home and prepare it for their children which they rarely do,” he said.

But district officials don’t feel the situation is alarming. District Social Welfare and Health Officer says, “The situation has not deteriorated. Nutritious diet is provided to pregnant women and malnourished children at 1560 Anganwadi centres in the district. Severely malnourished children are referred to the nearest hospitals. Every month malnourished children are weighed”.

 

The deadly anthrax, has a threatened the existence of Koraput tribals. Dr Murali Dhar Majhi says, “Out of the 30 districts in Orissa, 18 have been identified as endemic to anthrax. The disease which mainly affects farm animals, is spread by spores. The fast spreading disease affects mostly wild and domestic lower vertebrates like cattle, goats and other herbivores but can also infect humans.

 

Three types of anthrax, cutaneous, respiratory and intestinal, are affecting the Koraput tribals. The rod-shaped microbe called Bacillus Anthracic is responsible for this spore-forming disease. The cutaneous form of anthrax is usually found in interior areas of the Koraput. Anthrax infection of the intestinal tract is also taking precious lives in Koraput.”

 

“The pulmonary anthrax is extremely deadly but it is rare here. On the other hand, cutaneous anthrax accounts for 95 per cent of anthrax cases in the locality. Because of blind beliefs, the disease is left untreated and progresses to a dangerous bloodstream infection, which becomes fatal,” he added.

 

Recently, animals, including cows and goats died of anthrax in large number in Narayanpatna, Lamtaput, Nandapur, Semiliguda, Laxmipur and Dasamantpur blocks of Koraput. The disease was first traced at Sarapali village under Bandhugaon block of the district in 1992. As per local NGO Sanskar report, 30 persons have died and more than 50 persons have been diagnosed as anthrax affected from 2008 May to June, 2009