MALNUTRITION: India: District hospitals to get 30 nutrition centres

Jun 09, 2011
HYDERABAD: In an attempt to reduce the mortality rate among children suffering from malnutrition and provide them better healthcare, the state government will soon establish 30 Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) in teaching and district hospitals in the state. The government on Wednesday accorded permission for setting up these NRCs in a phased manner by September 30 this year at a cost of Rs 489 crore including Rs 200 crore towards operational costs.
Malnutrition levels among children continues to be a major public health concern. According to National Family Health Survey III, about 34 percent of children under three years of age in Andhra Pradesh are stunted, 13 percent are wasted, and 37 percent are underweight. It is estimated that 3.22 lakh children in the state are suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), a condition associated with high mortality and morbidity that requires specialised treatment and sustained follow-up.
It was also observed that majority of children with SAM suffer silently without access to appropriate treatment.
Hence, the government has decided to establish the NRCs to ensure that every child is born healthy and grows and thrives to realise his/her full potential. The objective is to ensure that children with SAM have access to inpatient treatment.
One NRC with 20 beds each will be established in the paediatrics department of the teaching hospitals at Srikakulam (RIMS), Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole (RIMS), Tirupati, Anantapur, Kadapa (RIMS), Kurnool, Warangal, Adilabad (RIMS) and� Gandhi Hospital (Hyderabad).
A 20-bedded NRC will be established in� district hospitals at Vizianagaram, Eluru, Nellore, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Sangareddy (Medak district), Tandur (Ranga Reddy district), Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Khammam as integral part of the existing paediatrics dcepartment of these hospitals.
In addition, a 10-bedded NRC will be set up in the area hospitals in the ITDA areas at Paderu (Visakhapatnam), Rampachodavaram (East Godavari), Bhadrachalam (Khammam), Utnoor (Adilabad), Srisailam (Kurnool), Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram) and Seethampet (Srikakulam).
Funds will be provided from the allocations made under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/district-hospitals-to-get-30-nutrition-centres/157879-60-121.html

MALNUTRITION: India: Malnutrition Pervades Despite Health Programs

Sarwat Naqvi on Mar 15th, 2011
In Raipur, schemes aimed at tackling the issue of malnutrition have not eradicated it.




After Sarwat started researching on health problems in his area, he decided to focus on malnutrition. He wanted to understand why there is so much information and so many programs about malnutrition, but the issue is still so widespread. Indeed, when Sarwat looked at the statistic figures, he realised that 60% of children in Raipur were suffering from malnutrition. “Being from a rural background, I was aware that beyond the appearance, India is still a country in which malnutrition is a serious problem”.
However, numerous organisations have initiated programs to fight against malnutrition. Thus, the Anganwadi centre is providing several services: distribution of supplementary nutrition, vaccinations, and other health services such as routine check-ups for kids. The centre is sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resources, Department of Women and Child Development, and therefore should have sufficient means to fight malnutrition efficiently.
And yet, several beneficiaries have not received their rations. “People don’t get their rations for three reasons: sometimes they don’t come, the ration supply is rather irregular and the centre staff do not always make sufficient effort to reach people most in need, preferring to simply distribute the rations around them.”
So, for Sarwat, malnutrition remains “a silent emergency”. He thinks that a multi-sector response is needed: awareness should be raised in the population about malnutrition, the government should be further involved, and the centres should receive independent feedback and monitoring. Hence, Sarwat hopes that his video will work as tool to sensitize the community and the government officials on malnutrition and the inadequacy of certain programs.
http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/sarwat/malnutrition-pervades-despite-health-programs/

MALNUTRITION: India: Bihar government is set to launch a special programme addressing malnutrition in children

TNN, Mar 15, 2011,


PATNA: The Bihar government is set to launch a special programme addressing malnutrition in children.
The programme, which would be rolled out at every health sub-centre at each village across the state, would focus on removing malnutrition among children, young girls and expectant women.
The programme to be launched under Muskaan Ek Abhiyan would be rolled out with the assistance from Aanganwadi kendras at every village. Apart from addressing children in the drive, the programme would also include better care of pregnant women and adolescent girls.
Measures such as bringing down numbers of early marriages in girls, providing iron folic acid ( IFA) tablets to young girls, improved diet for pregnant mothers and laying stress on breastfeeding right from the birth of a child would be taken under the programme.
Although, the issue of malnutrition comes directly under the state social welfare department, the department of health has taken this initiative owing to the serious problem the issue of malnutrition poses to the society. The health department would work on the programme in tandem with the department of social welfare.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-15/patna/28690755_1_fight-malnutrition-programme-care-of-pregnant-women