Jajpur: Malnutrition among children has acquired epidemic proportions in this district as over 50,000 children are learnt to be suffering from the deficiency, a report said.
This has happened despite the state government spending a lot on the mental and physical development of children under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). The problem is more acute among children below six years of age. What is more alarming is that malnutrition claims the lives of over 500 children annually.
Children in remote parts of the district have failed to reap the benefits of ICDS. Even the
Take Home Ration (THR) programme of ICDS under which children are provided ‘Sattu’ has failed to give children the required nourishment. Observers pinned the blame on the supply of substandard ‘Sattu’ to children and expectant mothers.
The state government decided to provide Sattu under the THR scheme following the Dal scam in the state. The scheme launched a year ago has failed to bring in any noticeable change in the health condition of over 50,000 malnourished children in rural pockets of the district. This results in many of the children getting affected by anaemia and other diseases.
According to data available from the district social welfare department, 25,322 boys and 23,619 girls are suffering from malnutrition in this district. Among them, 611 boys and 721 girls are suffering from acute malnutrition.
A maximum of 291 children in Sadar block are suffering from the deficiency while 58,941 have shown signs of malnutrition. Some of the children have thin limbs while many of them have bloated bellies. The basic ingredients used in preparation of Sattu are wheat, chickpeas, groundnuts and sugar. Over 160 grams of Sattu is provided to children from six months to three years in age whereas pregnant women are provided 200 grams of Sattu.
According to the prescribed norms, Sattu given to kids should have 100 gm of wheat, 20 gm of chickpeas, 15 gm of groundnut and 25 gram of sugar while that for women should have 125 gm of wheat, 30 gm of chickpeas, 20 gm of groundnut and 25 gm of sugar. Children suffering from malnutrition should get 240 gram of Sattu while children between three and six years in age are entitled to 80 gm of Sattu.
However, enough care is not taken in preparing Sattu as it has more wheat than other ingredients. It is also not palatable for which beneficiaries have refused to take Sattu for their children.
A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said supply of substandard Sattu is the outcome of massive irregularities gripping the programme. PNN
