Lack of awareness keeping malnourished kids away from rehabilitation facility

AGRA: The Nutrition Rehabilitation Center (NRC) at the district hospital premises here remains vacant most of the time. Currently, only three women and their children are under observation of medical experts at the centre. This despite the fact that Rs 50 per day and food are also provided to mothers of under-nourished children.

Medical officers present at the centre said so far around 319 patients have received treatment at the centre after it opened in February 2015. There are 10 beds, four nursing staff and one dietician, one doctor, a sweeper and a cook at the centre. Here, four nursing staff remain on duty for 24 hours to take care of malnourished children and their mothers.

Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is a health facility where children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are admitted and provided treatment.

Medical officer at the centre, Dr Rama Singh, said that due to lack of awareness about the centre, needy mothers don't come to get benefit from the facility. Under the scheme, mothers of under-nourished children will get Rs 50 allowance daily and healthy food and free health check for both the mother and son at the centre.

Dr Singh said that in June and July last year, around 10-12 patients were admitted, and in October, November and December, about 33 patients received treatment. “Of the 33 admitted children, 29 were discharged in a healthy stage and two children were referred to SN Medical College for further treatment. Parents of two under-nourished children backed out because of personal reasons,” Dr Singh added.

"Currently, only one patient is admitted at the centre. We are also trying to reach out to people with the help of Asha workers and Angawadi workers, and hope that there will be a good response in the coming days," the medical officer added.

“At the NRC centre, under-nourished children are being kept for a period of 8-10 days for treatment. The duration of admission can be increased up to 15-16 days depending on the health of the children,” Dr Rama Singh added. She said that after getting discharged from the centre, mothers are asked to visit the centre four times after the gap of 15 days, and they are also paid Rs 140 per visit.

When asked about the low occupancy at the NRC centre, superintendent of the district hospital, Dr Subodh Kumar, said, "We have asked to the district planning officer and other officials concerned to refer patients to the nutritional centre."

Lalitesh Sharma, a dietician at the centre, said, "We provide good environment, healthy diet and free medical treatment to both mother and under-nourished child. They can live at the centre for 8-15 days, and we give them nutritious food for good health,” she added.

Lalitesh said that Asha workers and Anganwadi workers reach out to the economically weaker sections to make them aware of the nutrition centre. But, mothers often say they cannot leave their homes for long period and want the treatment of the under-nourished child to be done at home, she added.

Naresh Paras, an activist of the city, said that due to lack of awareness about the facility, there is low turnout at the centre. “The health department should launch awareness drives about the centre among the poor people through various means such as camps, door-to-door campaign in rural or urban localities, etc.”