Malnutrition returns to haunt Nagada kids
More than 10 children are reportedly found suffering from undernourishment in the area again.
BHUBANESWAR: Malnutrition continues to haunt Nagada village in Odisha Jajpur district with more than 10 children reportedly found suffering from undernourishment in the area again. Sources said the village, which lost at least 19 children in 2016 due to malnutrition, still continues suffer from the same village as the residents continue their same old food habits. It was alleged on Wednesday that the four-month-old son of villager Brahma Pradhan recently lost his life due to malnutrition and malaria.
The residents, who belong to the Juang tribal community, further alleged that while doctors are visiting Nagada every Wednesday, they are unable to identify the disease. Besides, they complained about lack of adequate nutritious food and drinking water for the children and pregnant women of the area. Talking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, state women and child development minister Prafulla Samal said people in Nagada were not aware about health care and nutrition till date.
“We are trying to raise awareness among them. The department has taken all steps so that the Nagada incident will not be repeated,” Jajpur collector Ranjan Kumar Das said a team of doctors from ICDS were setting up camps there. “In coming days we are planning to set up a 24X7 Medical Research Centre in the area,” the collector said. Death of 19 children due to alleged malnutrition in Nagada had shocked the nation last year. The government took steps to change the face of Nagada. Roads were constructed, officials visited the place regularly for inspection but the picture remains the same.
It is alleged tha the Juanga tribals still prefer to lead their primitive lifestyle and are yet to accept government schemes for better and quality life. Women of the community adopt traditional delivery practices at home instead of going for institutional delivery. Besides, the inhabitants stay away from regular vaccination programmes and sleep in the open instead of using a mosquito net which has been responsible for most of their health problems.
The tribals have even refused to use water filters and chose to drink water collected from a creeks and nullahs which give rise to water-borne and other diseases. The practice of child marriage is also rampant in the hilltop villages as the villagers marry off their children at a tender age.