Balaghat child deaths: MP govt takes steps amid public outrage

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a series of measures to strengthen healthcare facilities in Balaghat district amid outrage over the deaths of tribal children and criticism from the Congress and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke.

Deputy chief minister Rajendra Shukla reviewed health arrangements in Balaghat through video conferencing from Bhopal on Sunday, 13 September and directed officials to ensure effective healthcare coverage across the district, including remote and rural areas.

Shukla said 67 new medical officers had been posted in the district and Rs 2 crore had been sanctioned to strengthen existing health facilities. He also directed officials to set up two new primary health centres, one sub-health centre and two mobile medical units.

The government has ordered officials to ensure 100 per cent vaccination, identify children who have missed doses and conduct special drives in difficult-to-reach areas. It has also promised alternative vaccination arrangements, including the hiring of vaccinators and the use of alternate vaccine-delivery mechanisms in remote areas.

Officials said timely registration and antenatal check-ups of pregnant women, identification and follow-up of high-risk pregnancies and institutional deliveries would be prioritised.

The deputy chief minister also called for coordination between departments to improve drinking water and child nutrition services. He directed officials to strengthen Anganwadi centres and ensure regular follow-up of children and beneficiaries.

The government said necessary resources, including medicines, equipment, transport and manpower, would be provided according to local requirements.

The measures came a day after Dipke visited Adori, Korka and Bondari villages to meet families who had lost their children to diseases and demand accountability for the deaths of around 30 children.

Dipke continued to highlight the condition of basic services in the district in a post on X on Monday, sharing a video of a school for tribal children in Balaghat. Questioning whether politicians would send their own children to such a school, he also alleged that ASHA workers in the area had not received their salaries for the past six months.

During his visit on Saturday, Dipke had questioned the administration’s response to the deaths and demanded that responsibility be fixed. He also gathered information about healthcare facilities and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The issue is under judicial scrutiny as well. Last week, the Madhya Pradesh High Court sought a response from the state government over the deaths while hearing a public interest litigation. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal issued notices to the health department, the women and child development department, the Balaghat collector and other authorities.

The petition alleged inadequate treatment and claimed that around 400 children were being treated at a hospital with a capacity of 50 beds. It also alleged that yellow-coloured water was coming from hand-pumps in the affected areas and that children and women had not received nutritious food on time for several months.

With PTI inputs