MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Government has decided to reassess starvation levels in children under five years of age in the Palghar district, adjoining Mumbai.
Tribal Welfare Minister Vishnu Savara, Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant and Minister for Woman and Child Development Pankaja Munde are expected to visit the district, that has seen over 600 child deaths related to malnourishment in this year alone, on Wednesday.
The district health administration has been asked to reassess all the malnourished children in the district to ascertain their levels of malnourishment before the ministers’ visit.
Savara gave directives in this regard at a recent meeting held at Vada in Palghar district. “The issue needs to be dealt with immediately. We have asked the Anganwadi workers to furnish their reassessed lists to the medical officers in the concerned Public Health Centre (PHC) and the district health officer and district surgeon to coordinate with the sub-centers to achieve 100 per cent target. We have also asked them to take help from medical officers of adjoining districts if needed,” Savra told the Express.
After the reassessment, the children assessed with severe acute malnourishment (SAM) and medium acute malnourishment (MAM) would undergo medical examination between 22 and 25 September and they would be given proper treatment at the appropriate facilities in the district.
Apart from the government ambulances private ambulances would be hired to take these children to nearest medical facilities, the minister added.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress), who visited the area, said that the issue would be highlighted in the House. He also announced setting up of a permanent shelter for malnourished children from the area by his family-owned trust.