Jajpur: State health secretary Arati Ahuja Friday directed the district collector to rush in a supervisor and Anganwadi workers to camp in hilltop Nagada village for a fortnight and supply sufficient sattu to malnourished children besides other entitlements under the ICDS scheme to children below six years of age and to pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Ahuja issued the order after her return from a review meeting at Sukinda July 13, following the death of 16 kids in the village under Chingudipala panchayat since March due to malnutrition and other reasons. Ahuja also recommended short and long term action plans to collector Satya Kumar Mallick to combat the problem in the hilltop village.
While directing the supervisor and Anganwadi workers to camp in the village for a fortnight, she asked Sukinda child development project officer (CDPO) to visit the camp in alternate day for supervision of activities undertaken in the village.
In case of necessity, additional sattu and other nutritious food items may be provided with immediate effect.
This apart, the district social welfare officer (DSWO) should actively monitor the situation and submit a daily report to the department. She has directed the administration to treat the matter as urgent and work accordingly.
Sources said Ahuja visited Sukinda July 13 after reports on child deaths were published in various sections of the media including this paper. She conducted a review meeting with doctors and health workers at Sukinda health centre where she came to know about the children’s death due to malnutrition and malaria from reports available from Tisco hospital. She found that 16 out of the 25 affected children are in critical condition and urgent treatment is necessary for their recovery.
As per her short term plan, Ahuja has recommended for visit of the medical team twice a week to the affected village and include all villagers in National Food Security Act (NFSA) and ensure opening of a PDS shop in the village till a road is laid to the village. She also directed the authorities to include the villagers in MGNREGS projects.
Her long term plan included construction of a permanent road, drinking water facilities, houses, power and education facilities in the village and implementation of developmental schemes, it was learnt. PNN