Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh): Three infants, aged between two and seven months, were admitted to district hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in critical condition after being branded by a local occult man of their village.
According to information, parents of these infants, who hail from tribal area, had gone to village occult man to cure their illness. However, the condition of these infants deteriorated after being branded by hot iron rods. Later, their parents rushed them to district hospital in a critical condition.
All the infants were admitted to the district hospital with burn marks on their chest and belly. Branding by hot iron rod to treat illness is quite prevalent among tribals. It is called ‘Damna’.
Locals said that the three infants were suffering from cold. Initial home remedy failed and they developed pneumonia. The parents then contacted the local occult man.
However, fearing complication parents refused to reveal the identity of the occult man whom they had contacted.
Doctors treating the infants said that the one brought from Pilyakhdan village was seven months old. He was sick for about 20 days, and his parents brought him to the hospital on Thursday. Similarly, another infant from Hadmatiya village was also seven months old, and was branded seven times. The third was brought from Samoi village, was just six months old.
Apart from these three infants, two other kids are undergoing treatment at sickle cell ward and Nutrition Rehabilitation Center (NRC).
The special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) in-charge, Dr IS Chauhan in the district hospital, claimed that more than 30 such cases are reported in the district hospital annually, especially in the season of cold and flu.
These infants are suffering from pneumonia. Severe pneumonia leads to breathing problem due to phlegm and the infant starts panting.
In tribal areas, tribal people call this condition Hafaliya, and they visit Tantric for its treatment. By the time these children are brought to the district hospital, their condition is already worse. First of all, they need oxygen. They start recovering after getting oxygen and treatment according to the protocol.
