A Ray of Hope in Sarmastpur: Connecting Care to the Child Who Needed It Most

When I returned to Sarmastpur village for my second Community Immersion in November 2024, it felt familiar. I had been here before—last May, walking door to door with ASHA workers under the scorching sun to digitize every ASHA register in the village. That experience had not only built data—it had built trust.

During one of my field visits with ASHA worker Sunita Kumari for HBYC follow-up, I came across a frail five-month-old child with an abnormally large head and vacant eyes. The baby’s mother, Rupa Kumari, was someone we had registered during our previous survey. She had been taking antenatal care from a private facility and later moved away to her maternal home for delivery. There had been no updates since.

The child’s condition deeply concerned me. I learned from ASHA didi that the family had spent nearly two lakh rupees on private treatment, yet the baby remained undiagnosed and unvaccinated, surviving only on cow’s milk. The parents were under-informed and economically strained. The local ANM and CHO had refused vaccination fearing community backlash if anything went wrong.

Sensing urgency, I took their consent and immediately contacted the BHM of Sakra, Mr. Mithilesh ji. With his support, we mobilized the RBSK (Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram) team to visit the home on 29th November. The team diagnosed the child with severe hydrocephalus and referred him to Muzaffarpur District Hospital.

The very next day, I arranged an ambulance and accompanied the family to the hospital. Pediatrician Dr. Chinmayam Sharma urgently referred the case to AIIMS Patna. I then reached out to Dr. Prashant, DEIC Manager, submitted all documents, and requested the Pre-Authorization Certificate.

By 4th December, the certificate was approved—opening the door to free, advanced treatment under government schemes.

This experience taught me the power of perseverance, the importance of grassroots trust, and the value of responsive systems. I’m grateful to my PL, Mr. Jayant Choudhary, whose guidance helped me coordinate each step. Most of all, I hope this child gets the treatment and life he truly deserves.