There is a need to re-think the government's strategy for tackling malnutrition. At present over 46 per cent of Indian children are stunted or wasted. Although the India government spends more on child nutrition programmes than any other country in the world, in the last five years malnutrition rates in India declined by only one percent. [In neighbouring Bangladesh, malnutrition rates fell by six per cent during the same period.] Such a deep rooted problem requires a multi pronged strategy and not a one dimensional approach.
We need to improve our Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and Midday Meal (MDM) programmes so that it reaches all parts of the country. No child should go hungry.
We must ensure that the food supplied to children has the necessary micronutrients for proper physical and mental growth. Approximately 75 per cent of Indian children suffer from iron deficiency (anemia), 50 per cent get less than half their daily requirement of vitamin A, apart from very high rates of zinc and folic acid deficiency.
In this context we need to focus on food fortification which is a cost effective strategy to eradicate deficiency diseases and protect the health of both the mother and child. We should ensure that all meals served in the ICDS and the MDM schemes in the states are fortified. Existing laws mandating that salt should be fortified with iodine must be implemented. Fortifying food staples like oil and wheat with vitamin A and iron respectively on the Gujarat model is another strategy which should be considered. Dairies which remove vitamin A and D during processing should be asked to replenish the vitamins in the milk.
No comments:
Post a Comment