10-bed unit in Aundh to tackle malnutrition

Six NRCs are functional in tribal districts,and grants of Rs 2 lakh each will given for another six in district hospitals where severely malnourished children referred from surrounding areas can be admitted.

At Pune district hospital,a massive renovation project is underway at a cost of Rs 8 crore,Dr Vinayak More,district civil surgeon said. The 10-bed NRC with a kitchen is part of the project. “We have received funds for the NRC,which will start in October,” More said. Malnourished children who cannot be treated in rural areas will be sent to the NRC where nutritional diet and health services will be provided for 21 days.

Six NRCs have been set up in tribal districts of Gondia,Gadchiroli,Amravati,Nandurbar,Nashik and Thane,said Dr V K Rokde,Assistant Director,State Family Welfare Bureau. Each NRC will accommodate 15-20 severely malnourished children,Rokde said.

Out of the 323 children admitted to the six NRCs,252 were cured in 2010-11. Of the 244 admitted till July in 2012,166 were cured.

A survey in May-June conducted by districts with ICDS support,detected 10,901 severely acute malnourished (SAM) and 59,448 moderately malnourished (MAM) children. A total of 70,349 SAM and MAM children were selected on the basis of height for weight from the severely underweight and moderately underweight children. SAM/MAM children who have minor and major medical problems with malnutrition are treated at the Child Development Camps at Primary Health Centers / Rural Hospitals / Civil Hospitals.