Not Lychees, Real Problem Is Hunger: Renuka Shahane Sheds Light On Plight Of Malnourished Kids

India¡¯s poor health system is gasping for oxygen. The real cause behind the death of 108 children is not Encephalitis caused by seasonal fruit Lychee. But it¡¯s hunger. The root cause is hunger, and is there a cure for that, asks Renuka Shahane.

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For the uninitiated, eating lychees is causing a killer brain disease called Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur's kids. The death toll has apparently risen to 108. AES is basically a brain disorder or infection caused by bacterial or viral attack.

How is Lychee causing AES?

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In Muzaffarpur, which is known for its lush lychee orchards, a lot of kids roam around the Lychee farms during the season and eat as many Lychees as they like. They often skip evening meals. Due to Hypoglycin A and Methylene cyclopropyl acetic acid which are naturally present in litchi fruit, there is a reduction in blood sugar levels during the night, which is also known as hypoglycaemia. This often leads to seizure and coma, and death in many cases.

Also Read: More Than 50 Children Die In Bihar Due To Encephalitis Caused By Eating Lychee

In the wake of the same, Renuka Shahane writes that the main problem is hunger, which shall be the focus at the moment. We cannot dismiss the tragedy because it is the poor who are dying, she adds. Here¡¯s what she wrote:

¡°A 108 children died of acute encephalitis in Bihar. They were from very poor families. This type of syndrome occurs due to a variety of reasons, malnutrition is one of them. The litchi that is grown in Muzaffarpur in Bihar has a toxic substance that is harmful for malnourished children. The situation is like Sophie's choice. Should they eat the readily available, in-season fruit to satisfy their hunger; taking the risk of contracting encephalitis, not getting timely medical treatment and dying of it? Or should they perish each day by starving their little stomachs? Encephalitis is curable. If our health system in remote, rural areas was better or if the children were brought to big cities in time to be treated, the children could be saved. But sometimes there aren't enough injections available! Sometimes the system fails them. This time a variety of conditions failed 108. Still many more are serious. Hope they survive!

Survive and do what? Struggle with hunger every day?

Is there a cure for hunger?

Isn't that the root of the problem?

Yes, we dismiss the tragedy because it is the poor who are dying. We curse them (in our minds), contemptuously, for having kids whose hunger they cannot satisfy. We ignore the human tragedy of it because they are not like us! If one of our child gets even a minor scratch in school we are outraged. Our sympathy and empathy dry up however when it is about very poor kids. The CM Nitishji visited the hospital today, after the deaths reached 3 digits, because he had matters more important to him in Delhi. Yes, there are so many more important things than the deaths of a 108 children.

RIP little kids! You are now in a better, safer place for sure.

Hope we find a solution to your hunger soon!

Hope we find a solution to our lack of compassion and empathy soon!

Hope we find a solution to our lack of will.

Because without a will there is no way!¡±

Also Read: Over 100 Deaths In Bihar Alerts Odisha As It Orders Lychee Testing To Avoid Encephalitis Cases