Dhiran is now almost 5 months old and currently weighs 2.7kg. His 22 year old mother weighs in at 27 kg.

Dhiran's grandmother has leprosy and this fact may have saved his and his mother’s lives, I say ‘may’ as their story is not over yet they have many hurdles to overcome. Many of their problems are deeply rooted in poverty. Dhiran's plight was discovered because his grandmother attends a Stigma Elimination Project (STEP) self help group

As is usual we sit and listen to any problems they have and usually advise ill folk to attend the local health post. While looking around at all the people and children I noticed a very thin young lady and a very tiny foot poking out from under her shawl. I asked if I could see her baby and she revealed a very malnourished child. We asked her lots of questions and discovered she had been ill when she carried him and since the birth had lots of "gastric problems".

Three weeks later we revisited Dhirans village to see how he was doing! He was still alive but they had been feeding him dried milk powder from a very dirty old medicine bottle, using a teat. They had been persuaded to buy baby milk. Unfortunately they did not know how to make it up correctly, nor were they able sterilise utensils, and they had managed to make one tin last 3 weeks and still had plenty left!!

We again gave advice on feeding for the two as it seemed as if Mum’s milk had dried up. We also showed them how to spoon feed him.

We tried to persuade other mums in the village to feed Dhiran, but they were afraid the gods would be angry and their own milk would dry up. I asked them if their God would be angry if they stood by and watched a baby die, I got no answer.

On return to Lalgadh we took advice from the Medical Superintendent who agreed that mother and baby should come to Lalgadh for tests and assessment.

They were admitted on the 19/11/03. Wee Jimmy (as we came to know him) weighed 1.8 kg, Mum weighed 23 kg. Mum was not only malnourished but also dehydrated and very anaemic.

After 3 weeks the decision was taken to discharge Dhiran and his Mum. While in Lalgadh she had been taught how to care for Dhiran, how to feed him and keep him and herself clean, and about general health issues. She was also taught how to make the porridge Dhiran was being fed. His regime was one of 2 hourly feeds of half strength buffalo milk, in between which Mum fed him her own milk (which had returned very fast once she was receiving rest and good food)

It was very pleasing to see his face fill out with flesh and to see him and his Mum laughing. This case is rare in that most often having a relative with Leprosy means you are cast out, ostracised. However, in Dhiran's case if his grandma did not have Leprosy he would now be dead, a very simple fact.

So what does the future hold??

We desire to see Dhiran growing strong and get a good education.

We desire to see his Mum learning to read and learning more about health and how to stay healthy.

Before any of that we desire to see him survive and not become just another statistic.

Please pray for the Dhirans of the world and those who try to help them.

Update:

January 5^th 2004 - Dhiran is doing well, he now weighs 3.3kg.

February 13th - Dhiran is doing very well in his village and his weight is increasing at a satisfactory rate. He is now 4.6 kg and showing signs of normal development albeit a little slow.

Right: Dhiran with one of our health workers.