58 children identified as underweight in DK

As many as 58 children, below the age of six, have been identified as underweight in the Dakshina Kannada district.

Sources in Women and Child Development department said, “Underweight is due to hereditary problems, premature births, physical disabilities and heart ailments. The underweight is not due to malnutrition.”

Out of 58 kids, 15 children suffer from hereditary problems, 21 due to premature births, four are handicapped, five suffer from heart ailments, one from lung problem, four are twins and the remaining suffer from other diseases.

Among 58 underweight children, nine are from Belthangady taluk, four from Sullia, eight from Mangaluru urban, 15 from Mangaluru Rural, 11 from Bantwal, four from Vittal and seven are from Puttur taluk.

Out of these 58 children, 30 had showed signs of improvement. But the nutrition supplements did not have any impact on 16 children. And the weight of 12 kids had declined, according to the statistics compiled by the department.

According to Programme Officer S H Usman, “Kids identified as underweight receive additional nutrition supplements through Anganwadi centres. If the kids were found suffering from any disease and the doctor had prescribed any diet food, then they are given Rs 2,000 per year to help them purchase diet food. A majority of these children get free treatment at the hospital.”

Just because a child is underweight, it does not mean that the kid is malnourished. Underweight is measured by taking into consideration their height, birth weight and age. All the children in anganwadi are weighed every month to check the condition of the children attending anganwadi centres, sources in Women and Child Development department said.

Dakshina Kannada district has 2,084 anganwadi centres and 20 mini anagnwadi centres. There were 10,650 pregnant women by the end of July. There are 10,137 lactating mothers and 82,996 adolescent girls. There are 12,198 children in the age bracket of six months to one year.

That apart, there are 48,343 children in the one to three years age bracket and 37,803 in the three to six year age bracket who are enrolled in the anganwadi centres.