9,877 kids suffering from acute malnutrition: Parida

Bhubaneswar: Altogether 9,877 children aged between 6 months and 5 years are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Odisha, deputy chief minister and women and child development minister Pravati Parida informed the assembly here on Saturday.According to the data shared by the minister, SAM children have been identified in all 30 districts. Mayurbhanj district has topped this list with 1,075 SAM children, followed by the mineral-rich district of Keonjhar with 858, the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district with 647, Ganjam with 595, Balasore with 579, Kalahandi with 509, Nabarangpur with 490, Subarnapur with 473, and Rayagada with 440.Even Khurda district, having Bhubaneswar in its jurisdiction, has 200 children with SAM.

However, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Deogarh, and Boudh districts have fewer than 100 children with SAM.She also informed the assembly about the govt’s initiative to prevent malnutrition in children. “The govt is providing nutritious food at anganwadi centres for 300 days to all children from 6 months to 6 years. It also gives chhatua, egg, ladoo, and dry ration to children aged between six months and 3 years. If any child does not eat egg, he/she will receive an extra ladoo,” said the minister in her reply.

Parida said children aged between 3 years and 6 years get breakfast where they receive hot cooked food with eggs. Under the Mukhyamantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana (MSPY), a state-level initiative launched to improve nutrition for vulnerable groups, Anganwadi Take Home Ration (ATHR) is given to children aged between 6 months and 5 years. ATHR has fortified and nutrient-rich food products, including additional eggs for severely acute malnourished and moderately acute malnourished children, said Parida.“SAM children having health issues are being referred to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC). The children aged between 3 years and 6 years, who are staying in remote areas and cannot come to anganwadi centres, will be provided with breakfast and cooked food at their doorsteps,” said Parida in her reply.