Child malnutrition cases rising rapidly in Rajasthan, says activist

Jaipur: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases in the state have been increasing over the past few years, claimed social activists.
"Earlier, it was assumed that SAM was in the 8-9% range, but recent figures show that it has almost doubled. This is shocking," said social health activists with the Rajasthan Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (RJSA).
The new data was highlighted in the clinical, anthropometric and biochemical (CAB) report of the census.
The RJSA has written to chief minister Vasundhara Raje demanding action. "According to CAB, the number of severely acute malnourished children in the state comes to 15 to 16% in villages. This indicates that an estimated 17,81,928 children below six years of age are severely undernourished.
Out of this, approximately 15,01,879 children are in rural areas in 2016-17, after adjusting the population figure of 2011 census to the current year," the letter said.
The activists pointed out that the maximum number of children who die during neo-natal, infancy and under-five age periods are from this group."We have suggested measures that can be taken to reduce the number of SAM cases in the state. We submitted the letter to the CM on Wednesday," said Chhaya Pachauli of RJSA.
"Children who survive have very low physical and cognitive capacity in later life and add to the very low-skilled adult workforce. This inter-generational menace ought to be arrested without any further delay. Children suffering from complicated SAM cases require treatment by specialized institutions, and uncomplicated cases need home-based treatment," the activist said.
"Although, malnutrition treatment centres are being established in medical institutions and some form of compensation given to parents, the efforts of the government to address this emergency are inadequate both in quality and numbers at the moment," the RJSA said.