HYDERABAD: Malnutrition continues to dog children, especially those from the poorer sections of the society, who typically send their children to government-run anganwadis, with more than 47,000 children identified as suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) or severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
Data available with the government shows that of the 47,654 children identified with MAM and SAM conditions, the highly urbanised districts of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Sangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri account for 10,067 malnutrition cases, referred to as ‘total wasting cases’.
Rangareddy district, with 2,989 such cases tops the state, followed by Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Nizamabad, Sangareddy, Hyderabad, Medak and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts with respect to ‘total wasting cases’.
While a child with very low weight-to-height/length ratio and a mid-upper arm circumference of less than 115 mm is considered to be suffering from SAM, a child with weight-to-height/length ratio and a mid-upper arm circumference of between 115 mm and 125 mm is considered to be suffering from moderate acute malnutrition.
Incidentally, none of these districts figure in the ‘best supply districts’ in terms of food items supplied to anganwadis.
These items include balamrutham, murukulu (snack), balamrutham plus, red gram dal, milk, eggs and oil, according to data available with the women and child welfare department.
With respect to cases related to women and children, according to the data, between January and November of 2024, the Sakhi/One Stop Centres recorded 6,554 cases of domestic violence. While 1,237 cases of abduction and kidnapping were reported, there were 2,434 POCSO cases and 320 cases pertaining to harassment across the state.
Malnutrition cases top six districts:
District MAM* SAM** Wasting cases
Rangareddy 2,441 548 2,989
Bhadradri-Kothagudem 2,184 462 2,646
Nizamabad 2,157 384 2,541
Sangareddy 2,032 449 2,481
Hyderabad 2,053 377 2,430
Medchal-Malkajgiri 1,923 244 2,167
(*Moderate Acute Malnutrition, **Severe Acute Malnutrition)
Sakhi/one stop centre cases***
Domestic violence – 6,554
Rape – 8
Sexual offence/harassment – 11
Trafficking of women – 12
Pocso cases – 2434
Child marriages – 189
Missing/kidnapping/abduction – 1,237
Cybercrime/cheating – 339
Dowry harassment – 320
Other crimes – 1,750
(***Jan-Nov 2024)
