Rehab centre for kids in dire need of attention

The Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre at Chikkamagaluru has been facing power crisis and shortage of water for the last one week.

Five children suffering from malnutrition have been admitted to the centre. The kids along with their mothers and staff are residing in the centre, which is functioning for the last two years.

The work on widening of Market Road has disrupted the power supply. Though the neighbouring buildings have electricity, the centre does not have power supply.

As a result, the children are forced to spend the night in darkness. Without electricity, the cooks at the centre are forced to boil two and half litres of milk, to be given to kids, to preserve it. Without electricity, the centre also does not get enough water supply. To prepare food at the centre, water is stored in five to six cans.

The nurses at the centre have already brought the issue to the notice of Nursing Superintendent. The district surgeon has asked to shift the children to paediatric unit at the hospital. However mothers accompanying the children said “the children are taken care here at the centre. If we are shifted to the paediatric ward, then we may have to run from one place to another to get food and milk to the children.”

‘Problems will be solved’

Paediatrician Nagendra visited the centre on Sunday. When the issue of shortage of water and power crisis was brought to his notice, he said “in the last two years, we had not faced any problems. The problem will be sorted out soon. We have asked to shift the children from the centre.”

BSP leader Radhakrishna who visited the centre has brought the issue to the notice of the district surgeon. He urged the officials to solve the problem of shortage of water and power crisis at the earliest.