Multiple infections kill tribal children in Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh

In a part of India called Balaghat, many children from tribal villages have been getting very sick lately.

Doctors say the sickness looks like malaria, a fever illness, and a skin problem called scabies, along with other infections.

Sadly, at least six children died, and some reports say even more children may have died.

The children live in villages where the Baiga tribe lives, and many of them were taken to the district hospital.

Doctors are not sure what caused the sickness, so they have sent blood and water samples to science laboratories to find out.

Some families in these villages trust traditional healers and religious rituals, so they may come to the hospital late.

But people who live there say the real problems are that families do not always have enough food and the nearest hospital can be about 20 kilometers away.

A former leader named Digvijaya Singh says 11 children died and wants the government to give each family money to help them.

Health workers are now visiting the villages door to door, treating sick children and watching over the area.