Maharashtra’s Palghar district to get nine new primary health centres to fight malnutrition

Maharashtra has started a special drive under which ministers and senior officials have to visit 26 tribal hamlets of the district every weekend to review and monitor the malnutrition programmes being run by the government.

To combat the increasing number of malnutrition-related deaths in Palghar district, the Maharashtra government plans to start nine primary health centres along with five nutrition centres for children. The state health minister, Dr Deepak Sawant, made this announcement after visiting the district.

HT file picture for representation

Dr Sawant on Wednesday visited remote hamlets of the district where more than four malnutrition deaths are reported every year. He also met the families who are currently being treated for malnutrition under the nutrition program undertaken by the state.

The state has started a special drive under which ministers and senior officials have to visit 26 tribal hamlets of the district every weekend to review and monitor the malnutrition programmes being run by the government. They are also supposed to form groups consisting of sarpanch, aanganwadi workers and gramsevaks to provide help and nutritious meals to malnourished children. To ensure the programme’s success, the health minister has been visiting the district every week since June 15.

Read: Maharashtra government to launch special drive to curb malnutrition deaths in Palghar

Palghar has remained in the headlines for the high number of child malnutrition deaths despite its proximity to a city like Mumbai. Last year, more than 300 deaths were registered in the district alone due to malnutrition.

In the last four months, the state has organised 82 medical camps with the help of private and public hospitals during which 6,481 children were checked. Of these, 2,945 children were diagnosed with moderate malnutrition and 1,493 were severely malnourished.

To deal with rising number of malnutrition deaths, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last year had formed a task force headed by health minister to recommend long term measures for its eradication.

Read: Despite malnutrition deaths in Maharashtra, child development budget cut by 31%