1,579 kids identified as malnourished in Tumakuru in three years

Deccan Herald

26-05-2025

Tumakuru: The number of severely malnourished children in Tumakuru district is steadily increasing, with 1,579 such cases identified over the past three years.The district has 4,199 anganwadis, where thousands of children receive early education and basic nutrition. Monthly health check-ups are conducted at these anganwadis, including monitoring of height and weight. Children who are found underweight or with stunted growth are identified and provided with the necessary care to improve their health.In 2023–24, health check-ups were conducted for 1,27,660 children, out of which 899 children were found to be suffering from severe malnutrition. In 2024–25, as many as 235 malnourished children have been identified so far. Among them, 32 are from Koratagere taluk and 24 from Madhugiri taluk. Health inspections revealed that a majority of cases are concentrated in backward areas such as Koratagere, Madhugiri, and Pavagada.'To address malnutrition, the government has launched several programmes. Nutritional food, including eggs and other fortified items, is being distributed through anganwadis. But children eat one proper meal at the anganwadis. At home, they often do not receive the necessary nutritious food. This is largely attributed to a lack of awareness among parents, which continues to affect the children's health,' he said.Poshan Tracker appInformation about children's health is shared by anganwadi staff through the Poshan Tracker app, developed by the central government. This app enables authorities to access real-time data on children. Currently, around 70% of anganwadis in Tumakuru district are using the app, officers said.The app also logs attendance of children and staff, food distribution details, and information on the basic facilities being provided by the Centre. Preparations are underway to include food quality tracking in the near future, the officers said.Major hurdleAccording to a senior official from Women and Child Development Department, 'All government programmes are being implemented properly, and anganwadi workers are making sincere efforts to protect children's health. However, lack of parental co-operation is a major hurdle. The situation is especially difficult in rural areas. Despite continuous awareness campaigns, completely eliminating malnutrition remains a challenge.'Little interest to take kids to NRCA Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) has been set up within the district hospital premises to treat underweight and malnourished children in an in-patient facility. However, parents are showing little interest in taking their children to the centre.As per the guidelines, a parent (mother or father) must stay with the child at the centre for a minimum of 15 days. But most parents are unwilling to comply and are returning home after just four days, said District Child Protection Officer Dinesh.To support them, the government provides daily wages under the MGNREGA scheme to the accompanying parent. Meals and accommodation are also arranged at the centre. Despite these facilities, parents are not willing to stay at the centre for the entire treatment period, he noted.