As Malnutrition Stalks Kids In Odisha’s Mineral Rich Keonjhar, Admn Steps Up Childcare Measures

Joda: Despite a host of programmes being launched for childcare, malnutrition is yet to be fully curbed in Odisha’s mineral-rich Keonjhar district. As many as 30 children, who were found to be stunted, underweight and anaemic in Joda area, are suspected to be hit by acute malnutrition.

Though health officials have found two children to be malnourished at Gudasahi under Balda panchayat and sent them to a nutritional rehabilitation centre (NRC) in Barbil, the number is stated to be much higher.

However, Keonjhar collector Ashish Thakare said the administration has taken a slew of measures to deal with nutritional issues. Under the DMF-initiated Creches Against Malnutrition (DICAM) initiative, NGO-managed daycare centers are established in high-malnutrition pockets of the district, where mothers leave their infants when they are at work, he said.

The creches, or ‘Ama Kalika’, are set up to ensure safe environment for children between 6 months and 3 years, complementary feeding with calorie-dense and protein-rich food, thrice a day, regular growth monitoring for age-appropriate height, weight and other milestones.

These centres provide care and simulation based on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and take steps for early identification and rehabilitation of SAM children in convergence with ICDS and NHM.

Initiated with 60 creches in 2018–19, the district has currently scaled up and approved more than 730 creches and plans to operationalise all of them by the end of May 2023, the collector said.

Meanwhile, health department is now on its toes to identify the malnourished kids in the area after the death of two children due to pneumonia and tuberculosis in Gudasahi.

In the wake of two back-to-back deaths, a team of health officials from Basudevpur CHC, Badakalimati PHC and Joda BDO Jaganath Hanuman visited the village and examined health of 28 kids.

After health check-up, Ramaniranjan Patra, doctor of Badakalikamati PHC, said, “Two of the children were found malnourished and were sent to Barbil NRC.”

Besides, many tribal children are allegedly affected by malnutrition at Sargeitala slum, 4 km from the Joda town since  most kids are in poor health for lack of proper food and nutrition. Some social activists suggested a proper health screening of these children to detect their heath status and take remedial measures.

Kailash Munda, a villager of Sargeitala said his three-year old daughter fell sick for lack of food. She was hospitalised, but died during treatment three days ago.

Villagers including Julu Munda, Sonu Munda and Sudan Munda stated that their kids are deprived of supplementary food as the Anganwadi centre is three km away.

Notably, the government is providing sattu, egg and medicine under supplementary nutrition programme (SNP) to children through Anganwadi centres. However, experts are of the view that the SNP appears to have failed to achieve its objective in the mineral rich area.

As collector Thakare puts it, there are 168 proposed creche locations in Joda, of which 136 are under progress and 73 have started operations. On April 3, 2023, a creche was established in Sargeitala, Khuntapani, Joda. A total of 18 creches have been planned in municipal areas of Joda/Barbil, out of which 9 have already started operations, he added.