JOIN USWidespread and severe malnutrition is claiming the lives of far too many children in India. A recent Unicef study reveals that around a million children under the age of 5 are dying on account of malnutrition-related causes.
Almost half of our children in this age group are stunted and a fifth is wasting away. This is reason for serious concern as malnutrition has widespread ramifications. Besides causing stunting, wasting and other forms of physical deformities and even death, it reduces a child’s immunity to disease and infection, undermines her mental development, memory, capacity for learning and so on. The implications of child malnutrition extend into adulthood too, impacting the individuals health and capacity for work.
Consequently, tackling malnutrition should be given top-most priority. Over the last several decades, the government has put in place an array of nutrition programmes targeting expectant mothers, infants and children. Since 1975, for instance, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) provides health and nutrition education and supplementary food.
It covers 34 million children in the under-6 age group and over 7 million pregnant and lactating mothers. However, persisting malnutrition suggests that it has not risen to the challenge. While it may be well conceptualised there are obvious gaps in implementation that are undermining India’s battle against malnutrition.
Underlying India’s problem of severe malnutrition among its children is the absence of latest and reliable statistics.
The last National Family Health Survey came out in 2005-06, which means that our understanding of health issues on the ground is seriously outdated. Recognising the magnitude of the malnutrition problem and its complexities, assessing the successes and failures of various projects and programmes, deciding on budget outlays and planning on new strategies depend on an accurate picture of the ground situation. Latest NFHS data is therefore essential to chart out a successful strategy to fight child malnutrition. Besides, government programmes focused on filling a child’s stomach rather than providing her with nutritious food.
For instance, the Mid-day Meal Scheme that provides lunch to school going children and was lauded worldwide for its sheer reach, is rich in carbohydrates. Vegetables and fruit are not accessible to a large number of children. In several states, ‘high-energy’, packaged snacks are being given instead of a hot and wholesome meal. Malnutrition in India is severe and acute. It is a medical emergency and a preventable problem. It deserves greater attention, resources and planning from our policy makers.