Seven tribal children die in Madhya Pradesh outbreak; health teams battle faith healing hurdle

Seven children have died and about 100 others have fallen ill in five villages of the Baiga tribe in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district over the past 45 days, officials said. The affected children, aged between one and 13, have shown symptoms of malaria, typhoid, viral infections and skin infections.

The villages — Bondari, Adori, Machhurda, Korka and Kundekasa — are located in Baihar tehsil, about 85 kilometres from the district hospital. According to the administration, 24 children are currently undergoing treatment at district and civil hospitals, while 76 have recovered.

The outbreak first came to the administration's attention after three children had already died. The first fatality was reported on June 26 in Bondari village. Since then, four more children have died, bringing the toll to seven.

Additional Collector Abhishek Saraf said special health camps have been set up in the villages to provide early treatment. ASHA and ANM workers are conducting door-to-door screenings to identify new cases. Blood samples from patients have been sent to the ICMR-National Institute of Research in Bacterial Infections, Kolkata, and the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, to determine the exact cause. A team from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur, is also investigating.

"We have deployed a team led by a medical officer for each village who will assess the situation and decide if a patient needs to be admitted to the civil or district hospital," Mr. Saraf said. He added that officials have been deployed to survey houses, collect water samples and assess hygiene conditions. "They have also been directed to clean water bodies and ensure clean water in the affected areas."

The remoteness of the villages and the community's reliance on faith healing have complicated the response. The Baiga are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) known for ancient healing rituals. Many families initially refused medicines and hospitalisation.

"While remote terrain was one problem in reaching the villages and tracing patients, convincing their families to admit their kids to hospitals was more difficult. Many families we visited refused medicines too. But we have now connected with their spiritual leaders and are convincing the people with their help," Mr. Saraf said, adding that the situation was now improving.

Balaghat Chief Medical and Health Officer Paresh Uplap said some families have continued to refuse hospital care despite senior officials trying to persuade them. "There are about 15 houses atop a hill in Bondari village. The houses are cut off from the rest of the area and two children from a family died there about two weeks ago. The families did not inform anybody or seek help when they fell ill at night," he said.

Ambulances have been deployed in some villages so that children can be shifted to the district hospital immediately if needed.

Health experts note that such outbreaks are common during the monsoon in forested regions with limited infrastructure. The Baiga community, largely residing in remote forest areas of eastern and southern Madhya Pradesh, often remains cut off from administration and modern healthcare due to lack of accessibility and awareness. Officials said they are respecting the community's cultural practices while working with local leaders to build trust and ensure timely medical care for the affected children.