Jan 21 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)
India tops malnutrition chart of south Asia
New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
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Severe acute malnutrition should be recognized as a medical emergency, with one million children under five years of age dying in India due to malnutrition-related causes, say activists. A new study in Baran, Rajasthan, and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh has found that preventable deaths continue to hit children in the poorest areas of the country.According to UNICEF, every year 1 million children under five die due to malnutrition related causes in India. The statistics are alarming and far above the emergency threshold for acute malnutrition (as per WHO classification).
ACF India and Fight Hunger Foundation on Tuesday announced the launch of the Generational Nutrition Program. Speaking about the program, ACF India deputy country director Rajiv Tandon said that there was an urgent need to recognize severe acute malnutrition as a medical emergency. He also stressed on the need for policies to tackle malnutrition and adequate budget for implementation.
The ACF report said that the number of children affected in India is higher than all south Asian countries.
“Within India, scheduled tribes (28%), scheduled castes (21%) and other backward castes (20%) and rural communities (21%) have a high burden of acute malnutrition,” the report said.
In Madhya Pradesh, according to National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3), 40% children were stunted — down from 49% in NFHS-2, 60% underweight — up from 54%, and 33% wasted — compared to the earlier figure of 20%. “The rise in these nutritional indicators is worrisome and it is essential that strategies for addressing it are adopted on a war footing,'' the report said.
Regarding Rajasthan, the report said that according to NFHS-3, 20% of children under five are wasted -an increase from 11.7% in NFHS-2, 24% are stunted as opposed to 52% ealier, and 44% underweight-down from 50.6% in the previous survey .
SC raps Haryana on female feticide cases
Decreasing sex ratio is a threat to the human race and all steps must be taken to stem the tide, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said while directing Haryana to take effective steps to stop the malaise of female feticide. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A M Sapre directed the state to complete trials of cases for offences of sex determination and female feticide within four months and appoint specialized officers for the same. In Haryana, the sex ratio is at 874:1000, the worst in the country. The court also directed that those who handle investigation and prosecution of such cases be imparted training in judicial academy of Punjab & Haryana HC. TNN
ACF India and Fight Hunger Foundation on Tuesday announced the launch of the Generational Nutrition Program. Speaking about the program, ACF India deputy country director Rajiv Tandon said that there was an urgent need to recognize severe acute malnutrition as a medical emergency. He also stressed on the need for policies to tackle malnutrition and adequate budget for implementation.
The ACF report said that the number of children affected in India is higher than all south Asian countries.
“Within India, scheduled tribes (28%), scheduled castes (21%) and other backward castes (20%) and rural communities (21%) have a high burden of acute malnutrition,” the report said.
In Madhya Pradesh, according to National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3), 40% children were stunted — down from 49% in NFHS-2, 60% underweight — up from 54%, and 33% wasted — compared to the earlier figure of 20%. “The rise in these nutritional indicators is worrisome and it is essential that strategies for addressing it are adopted on a war footing,'' the report said.
Regarding Rajasthan, the report said that according to NFHS-3, 20% of children under five are wasted -an increase from 11.7% in NFHS-2, 24% are stunted as opposed to 52% ealier, and 44% underweight-down from 50.6% in the previous survey .
SC raps Haryana on female feticide cases
Decreasing sex ratio is a threat to the human race and all steps must be taken to stem the tide, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said while directing Haryana to take effective steps to stop the malaise of female feticide. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A M Sapre directed the state to complete trials of cases for offences of sex determination and female feticide within four months and appoint specialized officers for the same. In Haryana, the sex ratio is at 874:1000, the worst in the country. The court also directed that those who handle investigation and prosecution of such cases be imparted training in judicial academy of Punjab & Haryana HC. TNN
