12 kids malnourished in Nilagiri; 2 recover

Nilagiri: Crores of rupees are being spent by Integrated Child Development Agency (ICDS) to deal with issues of malnutrition, healthcare and pre-schooling of children, but the scheme seems to be ineffective in Nilagiri of Balasore. A dozen children in the area were found to be malnourished. They were admitted to the nutrition rehabilitation centre (NRC) on the premises of sub-divisional hospital. Two of them were sent back home after treatment Saturday. These malnourished children belong to areas like Podahula, Dhobashila, Chatirkhunta, Mitrapur, Nilagiri NAC, Hatikhulia and Rairampur under Oupada block. It was alleged that Anganwadi centres have been providing nutritious food to the children, but despite that, such cases of malnourishment have come to the fore. As for the issue, pediatrician of the Nilagiri hospital Rajendra Kumar Singh said that children become malnourished due to want of food and chronic diseases. They become emaciated, weak underweight in complete mismatch with their age and height, he added.