Malaria kills 9 children in a Chakma village in Arunachal Pradesh

By Tejang Chakma


Malaria has wreaked havoc in Chakma-inhabited M-Pen village in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The disease has claimed the lives of at least nine children below the age of 12 in the past 38 days.

6-years-old Najuk Chakma, son of Judhistir Chakma, was the first victim of the killer disease, who died at Miao Civil Hospital on October 7, 2011. The latest victim has been identified as 4-years-old Babu, son of Madhu Chandra Chakma, who died on November 10, 2011.

The rest of the victims, which include four girls, have been identified as Banduri Chakma (4 years), daughter of Arun Kumar Chakma, who died on October 15; Mangal Kumar Chakma (10 years), son of Sukradev Chakma, who died at Miao Civil Hospital on October 18; Hala Meele, daughter of Siddhartha Chakma, who died on October 27; Gynaraj (4 years), son of Kusum Kumar Chakma, who died on October 29; Babu Chakma (7 years), son of Sunil Chakma, who died on November 1; Mangal Prabha (12 years), daughter of Sukradev Chakma, who died on November 3; and Nandi Bala (4 years), daughter of Jimidi Chakma, who died on November 4.

Two of the victims - Mangal Kumar Chakma and Mangal Prabha were from the same family.

According to the Gaon Burah (headman) of M-Pen village, many more children are suffering from the illness. There is no health care centre in the village. The villagers have to cover a distance of at least 7-8 kms by foot to reach the Sub-Divisional Hospital, Miao. The possibility of losing more precious lives cannot be ruled out in the absence of health care centre.

Out of the nine victims, five died in October 2011 alone. Yet, neither any immediate step was taken by the local administration to control the disease nor any health camp was set up. The health officials rushed to the village only after the deaths of four more children in November.