Latest news with #KunalDudhawat
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
459 children test positive for Malaria in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada hostels, mostly asymptomatic but concerns remain
RAIPUR: A major public health scare has emerged in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, where 459 children staying in residential hostels were tested positive for malaria. The outbreak came to light after health authorities conducted malaria screening for around 4,900 students across several hostels. The findings have raised serious concerns about the living conditions in government-run hostels meant for tribal and underprivileged children. Despite the region being malaria-prone, the hostels reportedly lack basic mosquito nets, and no solid preventive arrangements have been made to protect students from mosquito bites. Dantewada chief medical health officer Ajay Ramteke said that health screenings of over 26,000 children has to be done at school and we have covered a total of 4,947 so far. 'Tests included checks for malaria, anaemia, body weight, and other vital indicators. Out of those tested, 459 children were found positive for malaria. All diagnosed children started receiving treatment on the same day following the test. Over 90 percent of the malaria-positive cases were asymptomatic, showing no visible signs of illness. Only about 10 percent reported symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or headaches. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo But we are being careful with all those found positive.' Parents and locals fear the situation could worsen if immediate containment measures are not implemented. 'There are no mosquito nets, no regular fumigation, and poor sanitation. The children are sleeping vulnerable and exposed,' a local health worker said on condition of anonymity. Speaking to TOI, Dantewada collector Kunal Dudhawat said, 'We want 100% medical check-ups across all schools in the district to identify if there's any child suffering with any disease. When tests happen at such a scale, cases would come to the fore. Since there were fatalities due to malaria last year, we have to ensure no child goes untested and untreated if found positive. Most of them are asymptomatic and are fine. ' The preventive measures that we are taking includes providing mosquito nets to all hostels, cleaning thoroughly the corners and accumulated water due to rains, and shielding windows with nets, collector said. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh health department claims to have intensified its efforts to eliminate malaria with the launch of the 12th phase of Malaria Mukt Chhattisgarh Abhiyan (Malaria-Free Chhattisgarh Campaign). According to official data, over 19,400 households have been reached so far, with 98,594 individuals tested for malaria. Out of these, 1,265 people tested positive and were immediately administered the first dose of antimalarial medication. A statement issued by govt stated that the most significant progress has been noted in the Bastar division, which was once a malaria hotspot, where the disease burden has dropped by 71% compared to 2015 . The state's Annual Parasite Index (API) — a key indicator in malaria surveillance—has also improved dramatically, falling from 27.40 to 7.11. Health workers have been asked to ensure nutritional support before administering the medicines to minimize side effects and ensure safe recovery. Each case was documented and tracked using treatment cards, strengthening patient monitoring and follow-up care. Dr Priyanka Shukla , Commissioner-cum-Director of the Health Department, highlighted that the campaign now places special emphasis on tackling asymptomatic cases, which are often left undetected but play a crucial role in the disease's spread. 'Our focus is to break the chain of transmission by reaching every infected individual, on time, every time,' she said. A critical pillar of this campaign has been community involvement. From Mitanins (community health workers) and Anganwadi workerstovillage panchayats and local NGOs, grassroots support has been essential. These stakeholders have helped not only with testing and treatment but also with community education, promoting mosquito net usage, cleanliness, and preventing water stagnation.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Chhattisgarh: Youths in Maoist-hit Dantewada secure tech jobs through ‘NavGurukul'
Stories of resilience and ambition have changed the narrative in Maoist areas of Chhattisgarh as 50 underprivileged youths from Dantewada are now placed in tech companies across the country after they received training in coding in local digital skilling residential programmes. A 'NavGurukul' programme underway in Dantewada. (Sourced photo) The youths, who are mostly drop-outs and from the tribal community, learned basic coding under the Tribal Welfare Department of the state, which had launched a digital skilling residential programme called 'NavGurukul' on 1 August 2023. The residential facility offers a meticulously curated curriculum, addressing both technical competencies and holistic personal development, officials in the knowhow said. 'The programme's structured 18–24-month module adopts a blended learning model. Online modules on foundational and advanced technology topics, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, ReactJS, and artificial intelligence (AI), are seamlessly integrated with offline academic support. Additional training in English communication, teamwork, leadership, and professional readiness ensures holistic development,' Dantewada collector Kunal Dudhawat said. The collector said that at least 52 students have secured placements in reputable firms such as S&P Global (Hyderabad), MicroNXT (Bangalore), and DDSPLM (Gurugram). 'Several students have been placed as AI and coding facilitators in government schools deep inside Maoist-affected villages, where they help rural students develop digital literacy and basic programming skills,' the collector said. He further said the students are also getting paid 'decent money' during the intial phases of their jobs. 'Job roles range from front-end developers to data analysts, with internship stipends between ₹ 15,000 and ₹ 20,000 per month,' he said. Beyond the corporate sector, he said, the district administration too has deployed graduates as AI and coding facilitators in government 'Portacabins' – mobile smart classrooms in remote areas. 'These facilitators conduct coding sessions, deliver AI workshops, and mentor school students, fostering a new wave of digital literacy across Dantewada's tribal belt,' he said. Swati Haldar, who is from Dantewada's Bacheli, said opportunities were scarce even after she did her bachelor's in commerce ( 'NavGurukul became the turning point in my journey. Over the months, I learned programming languages like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Python, and MariaDB. NavGurukul didn't just give me technical knowledge; it empowered me with the confidence to dream bigger and the skills to achieve those dreams,' she said. Currently, there are 44 active students on campus and a new batch of 150 students is scheduled to begin in May 2025. 'Most students come from economically weaker sections and tribal families. Many have joined from interior blocks and gram panchayats of Kuakonda and Katekalyan, driven by the desire to restart their education and create sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families,' said Jayant Nahata, the Zila Panchayat CEO of Dantewada. Another student Renuka Chakradhari said, 'I come from a small village called Kuakonda in Dantewada. I studied science in school and always had a strong desire to learn and do something meaningful in life. But after completing my 12th, I had to sit at home because of financial problems. But NavGurukul changed everything. I learned many technical skills like Google Apps, React JS, Node JS, HTML, JavaScript, MongoDB, CSS, and API integration. Now I am placed as an AI Facilitator in Dantewada district.'
