Potka: Mahavir Sardar, a resident of Kandar village in Potka block, cremated his eight-year-old daughter Subola on June 26, a day after she developed symptoms of cerebral malaria. Then, he took his 14-month-old daughter Khushboo to a local hospital, which referred her to the East Singhbhum sadar hospital, which in turn referred her to the Jamshedpur-based MGMMCH, where she died on June 29. The family had lost another four-year-old daughter, Lakhipriya, to malaria in 2019.“My four daughters, Subola, Khushboo, Sunita, 14, and Karuna, 4, besides wife Kalpana and I were infected. With all six of us sick, I didn’t know whether to take one of them to the hospital or stay back home to care for the others,” Mahavir said.“Subola had high fever and a severe headache on the night of June 25, but riding a two-wheeler on the narrow village road at night was risky. We lost her the next morning and Khushboo after three days. We could have saved both if Kandar had a motorable road and timely access to treatment,” the farmer sighed.Kandar, a remote hilly village about 45 km from the East Singhbhum district headquarters, has around 400 residents. With no motorable road to the village, residents walk long distances for transport and healthcare. The village also lacks adequate education and drinking water facilities. “We fetch water from a drip as it is the only source of drinking water here. We often suffer from stomach issues and jaundice,” a villager said.The lone elementary school building is dilapidated and runs by a teacher, Sahebram Hasda. On rainy days, 25 students sit on jute bags in the veranda for lessons. “A teacher was transferred to another school located in an adjoining village after the lone teacher of that school died around six months back. The school will be repaired soon,” Hasda said.“We are keeping close tabs on residents suffering from fever, muscle pain, and other symptoms and ensuring tests. Over 350 villagers have been tested and 53 tested positive between June 25 and July 19. The patients are being provided with anti-malarial medicines at their doorsteps. But many rely on quacks and refuse medicines,” said Champa Hasda, a community health worker.