Cuttack: At a time when the Centre and state are spending crores on various child development projects, a whopping 9,494 children in the district are malnourished.
A report prepared by the District Social Welfare Board in March this year claimed that around 9,289 children are suffering from moderate malnutrition while 205 have been detected with acute malnutrition.
According to the report, 29 children have been identified with acute malnutrition under Damapada integrated child development project while the number is 12 in Athagarh, 10 in Banki, 15 in Baranga, 19 in Cuttack city (zone 1) and 24 in Cuttack city (zone 2).
The report further said around 10 children are suffering from acute malnutrition under Kantapada integrated child development project while the figure is five in Mahanga, 20 in Narasinghpur, eight in Niali, 14 in Nischintakoili, 23 in Salipur, 12 in Choudwar and four in Tigiria.
However, no child has been identified with acute malnutrition under the integrated child development projects of Cuttack Sadar and Baramba, says the report.
As per the report, altogether 110 children died in the district in the first three months of this year against 8,586 births. Causes like infection, premature birth and underweight have been blamed for the deaths.
Citing the report, social activists as well as intellectuals claimed that the administration has failed to implement various child development projects properly in the district.
The state government has engaged Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and other health staff to spread awareness on breastfeeding and balanced diet for babies. Moreover, the state also provides nutritional supplements and vitamin tablets for children.
“The death of 110 children in three months and the identification of 9,494 malnourished children in the district have exposed the failure of the district administration to implement various child development projects,” alleged a social activist.
However, district social welfare officer (in-charge) Ashok Mishra claimed that the number of malnourished children has come down sharply in the district in recent years. “We have introduced several measures to eradicate malnutrition among children in the district,” he said.
Unicef regional coordinator Sudip Das said special measures have been introduced in the district to deal with malnutrition among children. “We are studying the socio-economic status of households to check malnutrition. Children suffering from acute malnutrition are being treated at designated nutrition centres,” Das added.
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