A movement against malnutrition

Malnutrition is a big socio-economic problem, particularly among children below five years of age, who are undernourished. Nationally, malnutrition of children are of three types – children below the age of five whose weight do not correspond to their age, children below five whose height do not correspond to their age, and children below the age of five whose weight as well as height do not correspond to their age. According to the National Family and Health survey 2015-16, 35.7 per cent of children are malnourished and this figure in Chhattisgarh stands at 37.7 per cent. However, the same indicator from the 'VAZAN TYOHAR' initiative by Chhattisgarh government pegs the figure at 23.37 per cent in 2019. According to the latest Lancet Journal report released on September 17, 2019, malnutrition was the predominant risk factor for death in children younger than five years of age in every state of India in 2017, accounting for 68.2 per cent of the total under-five deaths. The situation is very alarming.

Taking cognizance of this situation, strategic steps against malnourishment in the state of Chhattisgarh have been taken as a top priority, making it a public movement. With the current status of malnutrition, development of infrastructure and other physical amenities is meaningless. Moreover, the worst affected areas, predominantly the tribal areas of the state, compel us to rethink the social cost and social meaning of economic development. It also brings to the fore the understanding that the most severe cases of malnourished children are from regions of the state where most of the natural resources are being extracted. In these areas, especially in southern Chhattishgarh, women and mothers between the ages of 15-49 are reported to be anaemic with an alarming figure of more than 65 per cent.

The government of Chhattisgarh has initiated many schemes and programmes to combat the challenge of malnourishment in children in the state. Bastar and Surguja divisions of Chhattisgarh are the areas which are most affected. The state government is providing protein-rich food including eggs and pulses in the tribal areas on a pilot basis. Districts covered under the pilot programme include Bastar, Dantewada, Korba, Surguja, Koriya and few others. This scheme was planned to be scaled up to cover the entire state after October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

DMF funds will be managed by a committee headed by a State Cabinet Minister instead of the District Collector. The money will be utilised primarily for health, nutrition, education, training, livelihood and community-focused activities. Social audit of the disbursed amount will be mandated. The state is implementing "Universal Health Scheme", where all the touchpoints in the Health Ecosystem will be improved and quality assured to bring about a holistic change in the delivery of the health services to every citizen. This year, 17 Mother­-Baby hospitals will be set up all over the state. Free health services to expectant mothers will be available across the state. Besides this, many specialised health services such as facilities for sickle cell examination, dialysis, pathologies, etc., will be provided.

One of the most important initiatives has been the access to health services across the nook and corner of the state. This became possible with the 'CM Haat Bazaar Health Initiative' during the weekly Haat which is a special feature in villages across the state. Health services are being made available in Haat Bazaar, which happens to be a suitable place to create health awareness amongst masses and also to create touchpoints for service delivery.

The Chhattisgarh government understands and realises that implementing the above-mentioned activities and working towards the objectives may be a tough task but the constant dialogue between stakeholders and implementors will help in finding solutions to the problems on a continuous basis. The government has in view both short term as well as long term objectives, which will lead to holistic and sustainable solutions to all health issues plaguing the state.

One healthy family is capable of making wise choices, and several wise choices lead up to a healthy society. Such a society, we believe, will be able to take the state of Chhattisgarh forward in all matters of development in the decades to come.

(The author is Commissioner, Directorate of Public Relations, Chhattisgarh. Views expressed are strictly personal)