The number of infants affected by severe malnutrition in the State has crossed 45,000-mark. Especially alarming is the health situation in the tribals-dominated districts.
As per an official report, a total of 45,535 infants suffering from acute malnutrition have been identified by the end of December 2015. The identification has been made by Anganwadi Workers on the basis of the WHO (World Health Organisation) criteria.
According to the report of the State Women and Child Development Department, the highest number of malnutrition-hit infants has been found in Koraput with 4,848 followed by Kalahandi where 4,145 infants are suffering from severe malnutrition.
The number are 3,773 in Nabarangpur, 3,551 in Sundargarh, 3,341 in Mayurbhanj, 3,287 in Keonjhar, 3,116 in Rayagada, 2,553 in Nuapada, 2,330 in Balangir, 2,104 in Malkangiri, 1,528 in Kandhamal and 1,386 in Bargarh district.
In the remaining districts, the number is found less than 1,000. Jagatsinghpur registers the lowest number with 153 severe acute malnutrition-affected infants.
As the malnutrition is one of the prime reasons behind the infant deaths in the State, the Government claims to be providing nutritious food to pregnant women and infants till six years.
However, the programme appears to be defunct in reality. While the nutritious food items such as sattu, seasame laddu, egg and cooked food have been provided to infants of six months to six years of age for 25 days every year through the Anganwadi Centres, the quantity of supplying the items is allegedly limited in many centres, sources said.
To prevent infants from suffering from malnutrition-related diseases, the Government has a scheme to provide nutritional food to pregnant women in phases. Besides, free iron tablets are also provided through health centres to women during their pregnancy.
Yet, the increasing number of infants with severe acute malnutrition has become a matter of major concern in the State.