Holds meet, asks quacks to refrain from hot iron pressing
A simple reproach by the District Collector of Nuapada against the local method of treatment of Kalachhir has created a big impact on the people practising the superstitious act. People believe that by pressing hot iron stick on the body of a child, the disease can be cured.
The Collector after getting information from mediapersons visited Dharnimal village with the CDMO, where the traditional medicine men (Vaidya) put hot iron sticks on children to treat the disease. He discussed with the people on the harms done to the children due to the superstitious practice and at the same time, told them about the existing laws and penalties against such practices.
Udhaba Kata of Dharnimal village is one of the Vaidyas who practices the method. “I have saved lives of at least 4,000 children in last five to six years by doing this, but I have now withdrawn as the Collector ordered me to stop this,” said Kata, adding “But I am aggrieved that hundreds of people are returning from my door without the treatment. God save them.” He sobbed while expressing his reactions.
Kalachhir which literally means black vein is not a disease. It is visibility of veins in child’s body due to thin skin. The visibility is more if the child is undernourished, said the ASHA of village Ranidungri under Sinapali block. “It is very difficult to change the superstition of the people,” the ASHA added. She also informed that Vaidya Udhaba Kata is held as a savior in the vicinity.
Discussion with the people in different villages reveals that the problem of Kalachhir is more among the weak children. From the data available with the Anganwadi centres, it is learnt that, about 7 to 8% of the children in the rural areas are severely acute malnourished (SAM). Most of these children fall back on the village quacks.
The method of treatment is very crude and ruthless. Udhaba uses a black broken bangle for dotting. He puts the bangle in the fire and when it becomes hot, presses it on the belly of the child. “There are three types of body – acidic, rheumatic and having cough tendency. If the body of the child is acidic, she/he needs more hot dots and if it has got rheumatic tendency, it needs less dots,” expressed Udhaba.
Hundreds of people throng his village to get the treatment. When this correspondent visited the village, there were people from Chhatishgarh pleading for the treatment, which was denied by Udhaba.
The villagers informed that there are also likes of Udhaba in villages of Khirmal, Ankapur, Suklibhata and Jharbandh of Nuapada district and Haldi and Khardiamunda village of Balangir district.
“When the child cries continuously, it becomes difficult for us to bear. The hospital is located at a distance of more than 15 km from our village. As such, we run to the Vaidyas out of helplessness,” said Mandira of Ranidungri village who took her 10-day-old grandson to Udhaba for the treatment a month ago. The belly of the child still has the burn marks.
Notably, the Collector of Nuapada is working on a mission mode to end the practice. He has already conducted a meeting of the health and ICDS officials and delineated a strategy.