Hanumanthappa and Narayanamma are coolies in the village. Their daughters Anitha, Asha and Anjali are suffering from this disease. They are studying in first, third and fifth standards, respectively. Because of their disease, they have been now forced to discontinue their education. 

The disease is very peculiar in nature. The three children are afflicted with small wounds on their head, which has a white covering. On and off, the wounds keep oozing and its starts bleeding. And this attracts a lot of flies. In order to protect their head from being attacked by the flies, these children often tie clothes on their head.

Flies

When the itching on the head increases, they scratch their head and again re-tie the cloths. Their plight is inexplainable. The moment, they start removing their clothes, they start scratching their body all around. Probably, the only work these kids do is to scratch their head.

Other children in the school are afraid of mingling with these kids. They have secluded them and even the teachers find it difficult to teach them separately. Other kids are afraid that the disease might spread to them also. Thus, the three kids have now discontinued their education. While, Hanumanthappa and Narayanamma have a total of five girls, only these three girls are suffering from this disease.

Also the house in which they reside is a very small one. It is often attacked by flies and insects. This could also be one of the reason for the disease, people feel. Also, to make matters worse, there is a huge garbage pile dumped just beside their house. All the garbage in the region finds a place here. And more over, the children belonging to this area, use this as open disposal ground.

Illiterate

Moreover, the parents are uneducated and their only concern is to bring-up the children. They are not aware of cleanliness and hygiene. Basic health and cleanliness is also enough to keep the children clean and healthy. They are most of the time, busy with their work. The parents should be taught and educated about these aspects. Day-to-day activities like taking bath, cleaning, washing, wearing clean clothes, etc, can help solve the problem to a large extent. The would should be treated with proper medicine also.

Resource persons M Suresh from Regional Resource Centre, upon realising the plight of these kids, has inform about this problem to the Education Department, Health Department officials and the President of the Zilla Panchayat. They have paid a visit to the house and have met these kids. ZP President Chikkanarasimhaiah, DDPI Bellashetty, District Health Officer Dr Anchutagi, Taluk Health Officer Dr Narayanmurthy and others were part of the team.

The ZP president has instructed the officials concerned to get the children admitted to a good hospital and give them proper treatment and also take care of them and ensure proper services to them to lead a normal life.