A Centre of Excellence (CoE) has been established in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur for Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). The CoE will work as State Resource Hub for providing technical support in planning, implementing and capacity building for management of malnutrition in State.

 

Dr Anil K Goel 

 

As per information received from official sources with around 2.5 lakh SAM children are in State, the newly-established CoE will bridge the gap by co-ordinating with different departments and agencies working in the field.

UNICEF and State Health Department along with National CoE at Delhi will jointly implement the action plan with the help of six state medical colleges and 79 Nutrition Rehabilitation Center spread over the State.

According to Professor Dr Nitin M Nagarkar, Director, AIIMS the CoE will work under the supervision of Pediatrics department in AIIMS, Raipur.

 

‘Several studies by different government agencies and UNICEF have shown that Chhattisgarh still have high level of SAM. With almost 8.4 percent children of less than 5 years age are suffering from SAM. It has been identified as a major cause of child death.

 

‘Now, we are going to take on this challenge. Policy and Schemes are there, we need continuous training and monitoring of policy implementation. CoE will perform the lead role,’ added Dr Nagarkar.

 

Dr Anil K Goel, HoD, Paediatrics Department, AIIMS informed that the CoE will act as a State Resource Hub which will provide technical support in planning, implementing, capacity building support for both Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and Facility Based Management of SAM (FSAM), monitoring of CMAM sites, existing NRCs, compliance of existing guidelines on SAM management,

conduct relevant research and provide continuous expertise to State Government for ensuring prevention of SAM and delivery of quality of care and treatment to SAM children in State.

 

Under the action plan prepared SAM Treatment Unit (SAMTU) requires to be set up in Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Raipur with approx. 10 bedded facilities for advanced treatment of SAM in first phase.

 

Later, similar efforts to layer SAM treatment protocols in other medical colleges in pediatric wards will be introduced.

Only extreme cases will be referred to Severe Acute Malnutrition Referral and Advance Treatment (SMART) Centre in AIIMS, Raipur.

 

AIIMS already geared up for the challenge with 10 bed  facility at SMART Centre established under Pediatric Department.