Devanshi Paligudia, a 6-month-old baby girl from Batriput village in Boipariguda block, Koraput district, Odisha, belongs to a Scheduled Tribe family. Her parents, Mridula and Raising Paligudia, live in a mud house along with Devanshi’s grandmother. Her father, a daily wage labourer without land, often travels to Visakhapatnam in search of work.
In January 2024, Devanshi fell ill with diarrhoea and fever due to the early introduction of water and fluids— a practice her mother was unaware could harm an infant under six months. As her condition worsened, Devanshi slipped into severe malnutrition, with a weight of just 4.2 kg and height of 60 cm. In desperation, the family turned to local healers and even visited temples, but her condition continued to deteriorate.
It was during this time that Dolon Dutta, a Gandhi Fellow at the Tribal Health Collaborative, began regular visits to the community. In February, as part of her under-five health assessments, Dolon identified Devanshi as a severely malnourished child. With the support of the local Anganwadi Worker (AWW), she counselled the family to admit Devanshi to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in Kumliput.
Initially, the family resisted due to misconceptions, financial concerns, and lack of awareness. Dolon, undeterred, reached out to the RBSK (Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram) team and, along with ASHA and AWW workers, made multiple follow-up visits to build trust and counsel the family.
Their persistence paid off. Soon after on 17th February 2024, with coordinated support from RBSK, ASHA, AWW, and Dolon, the family finally admitted Devanshi to the NRC. Her mother stayed for 15 days, closely following the care protocols. With timely treatment and nutritional support, Devanshi’s health improved significantly—she gained 2 kg during her stay.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, her mother expressed deep appreciation for the medical team, NRC staff, and especially Dolon Dutta, whose commitment changed the course of Devanshi’s life. More importantly, she left with greater awareness about childcare and nutrition—marking the beginning of a healthier journey for her daughter.
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