Child rights body CRY slams MP government on malnutrition deaths

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: Prominent child rights organsiation CRY (Child Rights and You) has slammed the Madhya Pradesh government for failing to take adequate steps to counter malnutrition.

It has called the recently reported 116 deaths of children in state due to malnutrition as ‘matter of grave concern’.

The organization has also said that despite being aware of high IMR and the need to counter it, the state did not make adequate investments in terms of infrastructure and manpower.

Though the government has introduced many schemes to tackle the issue of malnutrition, there is an urgent need to ensure that the schemes are strictly implemented on ground and all loopholes in terms of service delivery plugged, CRY India office has said.

The state government is already facing flak with MP High Court, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issuing a notice to it on malnutrition deaths.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the CRY India said that the matter is of concern ‘particularly since the state has been grappling from the problem of High Infant Mortality rate, which is second highest in the country at 51 deaths for every 1000 live births. Malnutrition is one of the major factors leading to Infant mortality. If undetected and untreated for long malnutrition leads to several health implications and can ultimately lead to death.’

Having actively worked in the state since 2007, CRY has witnessed the problem of malnutrition first-hand and has been advocating changes for several years now, the statement says.

Soha Moitra, CRY - Regional Director has said, "Our on ground experience in several districts suggest that not only are the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) understaffed and few as compared to the number of children suffering from malnutrition , even ASHA and Aanganwadi workers who play a pivotal role in identification of such children are often untrained and overworked. While on the one hand not many children are referred to NRC’s for treatment, on the other even amongst children seeking treatment the rate of recovery is not up to the expected level".

MP human rights panel serves notice on Guna malnutrition cases

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the MP Human Rights Commission issued notice to Guna collector and chief medical and health officer (CMHO) on reports that 16 severely malnourished children were detected there.

The MPHRC has asked the officials to submit a report within seven days enumerating the number of malnourished children in district, the efforts made for their treatment till now and whether the district has conducted a particular survey to know the exact number of malnourished children.