Progress in combating malnutrition remains ‘sluggish’

  • April 12, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
No Comments

 

 

Progress in combating malnutrition remains ‘sluggish’

Subject: Schemes

Section: Health

Context:

  • Malnutrition remains a major health challenge in India, impacting its progress towards meeting the United Nations’ goal of eradicating malnutrition by 2030, a key focus of the 2016–2025 Decade of Nutrition led by WHO.

About the study:

  • The study from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad investigates undernutrition in children under three across India, using data from the National Family Health Surveys.
  • It assesses the prevalence and evolution of undernutrition over a decade at both national and state levels.
  • The study highlights that undernutrition in children can cause serious health issues such as vision impairment, weakened bones, protein deficiency, and gastrointestinal problems.
  • The researchers emphasize the importance of understanding the epidemiology of undernutrition to effectively customize policies and interventions.

Key findings:

  • The study analyzing data from India’s National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) between 1992-93 and 2019-20 revealed mixed trends in child malnutrition.
  • Stunting (impaired growth) and underweight prevalence among children decreased from 51.9% and 34.1% in the first survey to 45.8% and 29.4% in the fifth, respectively.
  • Conversely, the prevalence of wasting (low weight for height) saw a marginal increase from 19.9% to 20.5%.
  • The study also highlighted significant geographical variations, with each state and union territory following the national trend of reduced stunting and underweight, but showing no consistent pattern for wasting.
  • Urban children showed increased risks of malnutrition over time.
  • Male children had higher risks of stunting, underweight, and wasting compared to females, though this wasn’t uniformly seen across all surveys.
  • Maternal education was a critical determinant of children’s nutritional status, with children of less educated mothers facing higher risks of stunting and being underweight. These risks, however, have declined over successive surveys.

Valuable insights:

  • The study on malnutrition trends in India from the National Family Health Surveys has provided crucial insights into the changing patterns of child malnutrition and their associations with socio-demographic factors.
  • It warns that, despite efforts, India might not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) and Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG-2) targets by 2030, and could see a decline in its Global Hunger Index ranking if current trends continue.
  • Government initiatives like Mission Indradhanush, as well as parents, caregivers, and preschool educators, are crucial for combating undernutrition in India.

Government initiatives to reduce malnutrition in India:

  • The schemes/programmes (Direct intervention) include:
    • The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS),
    • National Health Mission (NHM),
    • Mid-Day Meal Scheme,
    • Rajiv Gandhi Schemes for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA,
    • Indira Gandhi MatritvaSahyogYojna (IGMSY)
  • Besides, indirect Multi-sectoral interventions include:
    • Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS),
    • National Horticulture Mission,
    • National Food Security Mission,
    • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),
    • Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,
    • National Rural Drinking Water Programme
  • The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme provides a package of six services namely supplementary nutrition, pre-school non-formal education, nutrition & health education, immunization, health check-up and referral services.
  • Under National Health Mission of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the remedial steps taken are as follows:
    • Promotion of appropriate infant and young child feeding practices that include early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding till 6 months of age and appropriate complementary feeding after 6 months of age.
    • Management of malnutrition and common neonatal and childhood illnesses at community and facility level by training service providers in IMNCI (Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses) training.
    • Treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition at special units called the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs), set up at public health facilities. Presently 875 such centres are functional all over the country.
    • Specific program to prevent and combat micronutrient deficiencies of Vitamin A and Iron & Folic Acid (IFA) in under-five children, children of 5 to 10 years of age, and adolescents.
    • Village Health and Nutrition Days and Mother and Child Protection Card are the joint initiative of the Ministries of Health & Family welfare and the Ministry of Woman and Child for addressing the nutrition concerns in children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Source: TH

Progress in combating malnutrition remains ‘sluggish’ Schemes