Infant Dies of Malnutrition in MP, Twin Critical

Quack Clinic Sealed After Death

A four-month-old girl died of severe malnutrition in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Her twin brother remains critical and is battling for life at Rewa Medical College.

The children, identified as Supranshi and Naitik, were born to Vimla and Natthu Prajapati, residents of Surangi village. According to sources, both infants had been suffering from fever, diarrhoea and vomiting for nearly 15 days before the situation turned fatal.

Twin Battles in PICU

The family first approached a quack in Jugulpur village for treatment. When the condition worsened, they took the children to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Majhgawan on Tuesday evening. After primary care, doctors referred them to Satna district hospital.

Both babies were admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) around 8 pm. Medical examination revealed extreme malnutrition and dangerously low body weight for their age. Supranshi passed away during treatment at 4 pm on Wednesday. Naitik was shifted to Rewa Medical College in a critical state.

Officials Issue Show-Cause Notices

Following the deaths, Collector Dr Satish Kumar ordered an immediate probe. Women and Child Development Department officer Rajiv Singh issued notices to sector supervisor Karuna Pandey and anganwadi worker Pooja Pandey, seeking explanations for their alleged negligence.

The Majhgawan SDM led a raid on the clinic of quack Premlal Anuragi late Wednesday night. Authorities seized nearly 100 types of medicines and sealed the premises for operating without a valid licence.

Mother Lacked Breastfeeding Guidance

Investigations revealed a deeper failure. Due to the mother’s weakness, the twins did not receive breast milk. Relatives fed them goat and cow milk instead. Doctors said this is highly dangerous for infants under six months, who require only mother’s milk for adequate nutrition.

“The family received no proper guidance,” a health official said. The children’s birth weight at Majhgawan CHC on December 21 was recorded at 2.95 kg for Naitik and 2.86 kg for Supranshi. At four months, their weight remained critically below the normal range of 4-5 kg.

ASHA Worker Failed to Stay in Touch

Mother Vimla alleged that apart from vaccination drives, no government scheme benefits reached them. “The ASHA worker did not keep regular contact. We got no timely advice or help,” she said. Field-level negligence is now being examined as a possible contributing factor.

The Chief Medical Officer confirmed that Premlal Anuragi had no valid licence. “He treated the children for 15 days and never referred them to a hospital,” said Dr Rupesh Soni, BMO. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the MP Swasthya Chikitsa Adhiniyam.

Majhgawan Remains Malnutrition Hotspot

Majhgawan block in Satna has recorded previous malnutrition deaths. In September 2022, a child named Somwati Mavasi died under similar circumstances in the same area. Officials admit that despite past incidents, ground-level conditions have shown little improvement.

As per latest government updates, health teams have been directed to conduct door-to-door surveys in high-risk villages. The administration has also ordered a review of all anganwadi centres in the block. What happens next depends on whether these orders translate into action before another family loses a child to hunger and neglect.