Published On : Sun, Aug 10th, 2014

Survey finds over 5000 kids in Nagpur in grip of deadly malnutrition, bares Govt’s hollow claims

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The ground reality is totally different and tells a terrible tale on malnutrition front. The figures pertained to Nagpur city only. Lakhs of children must have been in the vice like grip of malnutrition in the entire State, according to survey.


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Nagpur News

The roof-top shouting and high claims by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on eliminating malnutrition among children in State have been conclusively been shockingly exposed by a survey that found over 5000 kids suffering from malnutrition in the Second Capital City of Nagpur alone. The ground reality is totally different and tells a terrible tale on malnutrition front. The figures pertained to Nagpur city only. Lakhs of children must have been in the vice like grip of malnutrition in the entire State, according to survey.

The survey has raised serious questions over the working style of Health Department which never misses an opportunity in claiming elimination the scourge among children in the State.

The survey was carried out in Nagpur city by noted social worker Dr Gogulwar who termed the situation awful and alarming as well. The fact finding survey was done to see the ground reality after Maharashtra Government’s GR Community Base Monitoring Survey under Ekatmik Balvikas Seva Yojana (Integrated Child Development Scheme) revealed no malnutrition among children in State.

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Dr Gogulwar, elaborating the facts of his survey, said, “We carried out the survey in slums of Nagpur and 22 Anganwadis of the city. Our team was astonished to find 104 kids between the age group of six months to 3 years suffering from chronic malnutrition. Similarly, 134 kids in the age group of 3 to 6 years were found inflicted by the menace in acute to chronic stage. If the condition of children in these 22 Anganwadis is so alarming then we shudder to think what would be the situation in 981 Anganwadis that are based in Nagpur city. Moreover, the survey was limited to city only and not the surround areas. An estimated 5000 children are suffering from malnutrition in Nagpur. The kids are victims of malnutrition because of criminal negligence on the part of Health Department. Had the Department taken special efforts and provided supplementary nutritious food to these kids under Integrated Child Development Scheme the situation would have been better. But the Health Department has failed to do so and are busy in claiming elimination of menace in the State,” lamented Dr Gogulwar.

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Mamata Kamble of Arogya Sakhi Anganwadi said that the Health Department failed to visit slums and did not provide nutritious food and iron tablets to women during pregnancy as is stipulated in Integrated Child Development Scheme. No efforts were made by the Department to control malnutrition among children, said Mamata Kamble.

It may be recalled, the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had recently praised the State Government’s schemes for effectively controlling the menace of malnutrition among children. Chavan, while addressing a programme in Nagpur, had claimed elimination of this scourge in entire Maharashtra.

However, Dr Gogulwar’s survey has exposed the hollow claims of State Government. The figure of 5000 kids suffering from malnutrition in Nagpur city alone is a slap on the face of Government. Dr Gogulwar said the menace is increasing at alarming level and lakhs of malnutrition cases could be reported from all over the state. He has urged the State Government to take decisive steps and save the children from malnutrition deaths.

The pictures tell all the terrible tale.