In yet another instance of cruel traditional practice to cure disease, a seven-month-old tribal baby girl has been branded with hot iron by a village quack at Bhaluguda under Jeypore block in Koraput district.
The critically injured baby has been admitted to the Jeypore Sub-Divisional Hospital.
“The baby is suffering from pneumonia after branding of hot iron. She has been administered saline and injection as she has problem in breathing. Now, the child’s condition is stable. We may refer her to ICU if needed,” hospital paediatrician Sandeep Tripathy said.
The baby suffered from a measles-type diseases and her navel was infected, following which she was branded with a hot nail by a Disari (quack), the doctor said.
The baby’s mother took her to a village quack for hot iron treatment after infection in navel showed no sign of improvement. “First, my baby suffered from fever, and I took her to an old woman near our village who branded her with hot iron. After that, my baby got cured. But this time, I brought her to hospital as her condition deteriorated,” said the baby’s mother Ranjita Parja.
Recently, a number of such cases had been reported from Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada and other tribals-dominated districts of the State.