State to start childcare units in villages

In the wake of the notice issued by the National Human Right commission (NHRC) over malnourishment deaths in Maharashtra, particularly Palghar district, state health minister Dr Deepak Sawant has directed the local administration to start Village Child Development Centres (VCDCs) on a priority basis.

The minister visited five primary health centres (PHCs) in the district and also inspected the manner in which malnourished children and mothers were being treated. His visit comes after the NHRC issued notice to the state government on Thursday over the large-scale deaths of children in Palghar, especially in Mokhada taluka, allegedly due to malnourishment.

The five centres included Shenva, Takipatar, Dolkhamb, Kasara and Khardi. Dr Sawant directed the medical teams to register pregnant mothers on time, and provide them with medicines regularly and also keep 108 Ambulance services available round the clock. “I have directed the teams to start VCDCs for better childcare and also instructed that those needing further treatment should be sent to Child Treatment Centres (CTCs) and Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs),” Dr Sawant said.

Dr Sawant added that he had directed district health officer B.S. Sonawane to explore the possibility of setting up a trauma care centre at Kasara and a rural hospital at Dolkhamb village. “I have asked him to submit a proposal to the government in this regard,” he said.

Taking suo-motu congnisance of the deaths of 600 children in Palghar district due to malnutrition, NHRC has issued notice to the chief secretary of the state. Maharashtra Governor Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, too, was disappointed with the death of children in the state. He had said that it’s very serious that some children from villages and districts adjacent to the financial capital are suffering from malnutrition. The state should consider and implement measures to overcome malnutrition, he said. The Governor also instructed the ministers and officials concerned to control the concern within a period of a month.