NRCs coming to the rescue of low-weight children

A 16-day-old baby girl in Kotpad area of Odisha's Koraput district weighed 1.692 kg when she was taken to the nutritional rehabilitation centre (NRC) at a community health centre (CHC).
After staying at the centre at Rabanaguda in Jeypore block for 17 days, weight of the baby, daughter of Subai Muduli, increased by 15 per cent and she weighed 2.290 kg when she was discharged, officials said.
Similarly, four-year old Sabita Jani of Purna Kalaguda under Borigumma block was admitted to the NRC with 9.154 kg against the standard weight of 16 kg and on her discharge after 15 days she was weighing 10 kg.

These are not isolated cases. Records available at the centre show that since its opening on March 27, 2014, over 480 children, especially tribals, aged between 0 and 5 years, diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) have returned home with an expected gain of about 15 per cent.
"Our duty is to ensure a 15 per cent gain in the child's weight. It is an indication that intervention in the form of providing formula food to children during their 15-day hospitalization to bring their status to near normal is working," said Koraput district Collector Jaya Kumar V.
According to nutrition counsellor Rashmi Sahu, the

digestive system of SAM children is so weak that they cannot be given high protein and high calorie diet as is generally expected. Their metabolism becomes too weak due to severe malnutrition and they lose appetite.

Hence these children are given a milk-based formula food called as F75 and F100. These contain powdered puffed rice or ragi with milk in a particular ratio, said Sahu.
Initially, the children are fed every two hours. Gradually the intervals are incresaed to four and eight hours. After discharge, the children are shifted to home based food.
The nutritionist educates the mother on nutritional supplements to be given to malnourished child and the cook demonstrates food preparations. Food rich in nutrition, vegetables, a high calorie diet and other important factors for improving nutrition in children are explained.

The anganwadi workers identify the children during the village level health nutrition day held on every Tuesday and Friday and brings them to the NRC for treatment such as administering nutritional supplements.
The expenses towards the treatment of children are borne by the hospital. During the treatment at NRC, the mothers of children get Rs 100 a day as incentive.
According to an estimate, 3,500 children are affected by malnutrition in the district, officials said.
At present, apart from Rabanaguda, the district has another NRC at Koraput hospital equipped with 20 beds. However, upbeat over its success, the administration has planned to open one NRC each at Laxmipur and Nandapur blocks to make the district malnutrition free, they said.

The proposed NRC at Laxmipur and Nandapur blocks will be opened soon and it will be of 20 beds each. The centres expenditure will be taken care by the district mineral foundation, the Collector said.