Palakkad : A 15-day-old tribal infant died at Thrissur medical college hospital on Sunday, triggering fresh concerns over healthcare services in Attappadi, where nine infant deaths have been reported in three months.
The baby boy, born to Murukesh and Sivakami of Vada Kottathara tribal hamlet on Oct 10, was found to have congenital abnormalities. The infant was referred to Thrissur medical college hospital, where he underwent surgeries on Oct 17 and 24. The death comes four days after a 20-day-old boy born to Jyothimani and Biju of Vechapathi tribal hamlet in Sholayur died at the same hospital on Oct 21. In another case, Shruthi and Manikandan of Varagampadi hamlet said their child died on Sept 29 after they struggled to arrange treatment.
A subsequent scan at a hospital in Coimbatore revealed a congenital abnormality, affecting an internal organ along with a serious heart defect, according to the parents. The family alleged that scans conducted at Kottathara Tribal Specialty Hospital failed to detect them. Timely detection of the abnormalities could have helped ensure appropriate treatment, the family alleged. They alleged that their request to Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP), through a tribal promoter, for help taking the sick child to a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram went unanswered. They neither received financial assistance nor an ambulance. The family travelled by train with the ailing child, who later died.
He died on Sunday while undergoing treatment. The family on Sunday told political functionaries and elected representatives that Jyothimani, who has sickle cell disease, hadn’t received appropriate treatment during pregnancy.