Binayak Sen for addressing people's nutritional needs

Binayak Sen, who was charged with sedition until recently, today attended the first meeting of the working group on health at the Planning Commission and made a strong pitch for addressing nutritional needs of the people.

Sen was appointed as one of the members of the group, following his release from the Raipur jail recently, after the Supreme Court cleared him of the of sedition charges.

Sen, who has spent a large part of his life treating malaria among tribals in Chhattisgarh, said that the body mass index of an average tribal person was below 18.5 and this could be best addressed by food entitlements rather than just medicines.

He said the 35 kg of foodgrain given per family now was totally inadequate and it should be supplemented with dal and oil for a complete diet.

Sen said the People’s Union of Civil Liberties, of which he was a member, and the Right to Food Campaign had been demanding universal food entitlements and it was closely linked with health of the nation.

He added that adequate food should be the right of everywone. Sen also argued for a legal healthcare entitlement for all.

Planning Comission Member Syeda Hameed said there was no doubt that nutrition was an integral part of health and should be addressed urgently.