Wake-up call.. 10,717 cases of malnourishment in urban centres, indicates survey
| Date :12-Apr-2024 |
By Sagar Mohod
Unheard of so far, now the spectre of malnourishment has reared its head in urban areas of Maharashtra also, which has one of the fastest rates of urbanisation in the country, prompting the Government to roll out nutritious schemes at Urban Child Development Centres (UCDC). A health survey has indicated presence of 10,717 cases of malnourishment in urban centres which was a wake-up call for the administrators and planners. Malnutrition was mostly thought of a rural phenomena, mostly in tribal dominated pockets. In that sense, reporting of instances of urban malnutrition in such huge numbers is a cause for concern. The reason for urban malnutrition, as per experts in healthcare, is mostly due to large scale migration of rural populace to urban area in search of better livelihood. Most rural migrants end up living in urban ghettos, where access of medical care is limited and, due to high cost of living, even access to nutritious food is scarce.
It was, hence, a matter of time before malnutrition spectre surfaced in urban centres too. Normally, urban centres, that too in Maharashtra, are considered well off financially and it is presumed that they can afford the required nutrition. However, rising poverty in urban areas is causing distress and depriving children of nutrition. In view of data about emerging malnutrition cases in urban parts of the State, Women and Child Development Department has decided to roll out Energy Dense Nutritious Food (ENDF) through Urban Child Development Centres (UCDC). The scheme was so far being effectively implemented in rural areas through Anganwadis which helped improve the condition of improvised tribal children classified as severe acute malnutrition (SAM). There are about 140 UCDC in the State and they have been given a directive on how to go about implementing the measures to overcome nutrition deficiency among the urban children. The ENDF consists of combination of food items having necessary vitamins in measured quantity to ensure proper growth of the malnourished children.
A proper record be maintained of such malnourished children, documenting their growth, in terms of height and weight so that they can be classified in severe and normal and medium malnutrition categories. The notification by Woman and Child Development Department mentioned that each of Child Development Officer will be provided an outlay of Rs. 25,000 annually for administrative cost to monitor the UCDC that implements the scheme. A total outlay will be of Rs. 26 lakhs and for emergency purchase of medicines to tune of Rs 25,000. Similarly, anganwadi centres where UCDC are already set-up, there Government will provide support of Rs. 5/patient to anganwadi Sevika and Helper. As of now a three months programme is chalked out by Government with approved outlay of Rs. 11 crores wherein it was considered a break-up of providing nutritious support to malnourished children for 72-days plus other administrative costs.
Similarly a high powered committed is also formed to monitor effective implementation of programme to tackle malnutrition in urban area and it will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary, Woman and Child Development Department; and other including Commissioner, Integrated Child Development Service Scheme, Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary, Women and Child Development Department; Expert nominated by UNICEF; Director, Rajmata Jijau Mata va Bal Arogya Poshan Mission, and Deputy Commissioner (Nutrition) Ekatmik Bal Vikas va Seva Yojana, Commissionerate, will be members. As of now the Government is of view that this scheme in urban centres would need to be implemented for a period of three to five years. Post taking stock of the success achieved post intervention, the decision about the future of scheme will be decided.