Five Baiga children have died over the past few months in Nandani Kuman village of Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district, prompting health and women and child development teams to begin screenings, household surveys and monitoring of vulnerable children.
Officials have not yet established whether the deaths were linked to illness, malnutrition or underlying medical conditions. They said no common disease pattern had been confirmed so far and that individual medical histories, nutritional status and the circumstances surrounding each death were being reviewed.
The village, which has a sizeable Baiga population, is located near the border with Madhya Pradesh. According to local reports cited by The Times of India, the deceased children were between about one-and-a-half and two years old, and five and seven years old.
As part of the immediate response, around 16 children identified as malnourished during health screenings were shifted to a nutrition rehabilitation centre, or NRC, for monitoring and treatment. Health teams have also been conducting check-ups and keeping watch over children considered vulnerable.
The women and child development department has started a door-to-door survey to gather information on the health, nutrition and family conditions of children in the village. Officials said health camps had been organised in the area, while the frequency and coverage of those camps were expected to be reviewed after the deaths.
District WCD officer Anand Tiwari told The Times of India that he had visited the village and spoken to families affected by the deaths. “The parents told us their children had been unwell and had shown signs of weakness. We are speaking to each family and gathering details on the health history of their children,” he said.
Tiwari said the children found to be malnourished had been moved to the NRC for care. He also said families in remote areas needed to seek medical help as soon as children showed signs of illness rather than waiting for their condition to worsen.
Roop Singh, the father of one of the deceased children, said his child had been ill for about five days. Officials said a clearer assessment would be possible only after medical records, field-survey findings and the health status of other children in the village had been examined.
The deaths have also prompted demands for accountability. Local Congress leader Mahesh Chandravanshi alleged lapses in the healthcare response, while tribal leader Kamu Baiga called for an independent inquiry. The ongoing surveys and medical reviews are expected to establish the causes of death and identify the further action required in Nandani Kuman.
