Jharkhand Brain Malaria Alarm: Four Children Die in East Singhbhum

Concern is growing in Jharkhand's Kolhan division as brain malaria continues to claim young lives. In East Singhbhum and nearby districts, four children have died from the disease in the last five days, and the situation has prompted renewed calls for faster diagnosis and treatment.

Three of these deaths took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital in Jamshedpur, where the affected children were receiving intensive care.

Rahul Jamuda, a six-year-old from Gopalpur in Saraikela-Kharsawan district, is the most recent victim. He died on Tuesday during treatment at the MGM hospital. Rahul had been admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit seven days earlier and was kept on a ventilator due to his critical condition.

According to Dr. K.K. Choudhary, head of the pediatrics department, Rahul was suffering from brain malaria and had been on ventilator support since October 21. Doctors monitored him closely, but there was no improvement. Family members said he had been struck by high fever, headache and vomiting before he was brought to the hospital.

Six-year-old Shakuntala Sabar of Mohanpur in Bodam block had died earlier at the same hospital. Tests confirmed cerebral malaria together with Japanese encephalitis.

Budhni Munda, an eight-year-old from Ichagarh, died after suffering from brain malaria and acute anaemia. Her two siblings were also found to be infected and were undergoing treatment at MGM. Aarti Sabar, a one-year-old from Nimdih, died during her hospital stay.

The disease is reported to be most prevalent in rural parts of the district, such as Potka, Musabani, Patamda, Dumaria, Ghatshila and Chakulia.

Last week, a one-day special investigation drive tested 11,517 people in the district. Seventy-one were confirmed to have malaria, with 55 infected by Plasmodium falciparum and 15 by Plasmodium vivax. Potka block had the highest count, with 31 patients.

The health department has asked officials to step up testing and awareness efforts in affected areas and to ensure essential medicines are available at health facilities. Anyone experiencing high fever, headache, vomiting or shivering has been urged to undergo malaria testing immediately and avoid delays in seeking treatment.