Hope returns for malnourished baby girl in Sukma’s Puvarti

RAIPUR: An infant from Puvarti village of Bastar, once reduced to barely 2.5 kg and struggling to survive, has recovered from severe malnutrition and returned home healthy after timely intervention by the district administration in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.

The child from the remote village of Puvarti — an area earlier known for Maoist influence and home to top commander Hidma was found in a critical condition, extremely weak and unable to receive proper nourishment, officials said. The case came to light to district administration, and the girl was admitted at district hospital special newborn care unit and after 15 days, she was out of malnutrition. With the family’s poor economic and social conditions limiting access to timely medical care, her chances of survival had become slim.

The case came to light during collector Amit Kumar’s field visit to Jagargunda and Puvarti. During an inspection of Anganwadi centre Puvarti, he sought details of malnourished children in the area, following which the Anganwadi worker informed him about the child's grave condition.She was shifted the same day to the special newborn care unit of the district hospital.Officials said sustained medical supervision, proper nutrition and regular feeding led to a significant improvement in her condition. The child has now fully come out of malnutrition, with her weight rising to five kg, and has returned to her home village.