Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/in-september-alone-98-children-died-in-melghat-by-meena-menon-3832.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | In September alone, 98 children died in Melghat by Meena Menon | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

In September alone, 98 children died in Melghat by Meena Menon

Malnutrition or due to socio-economic reasons and backwardness?

Ninety-eight children under six died of various causes in Maharashtra's Melghat region in September alone. While confirming this, Amravati district health officer S.K. Yelurkar told The Hindu that there was no outbreak of any illness and the deaths were due to “routine socio-economic reasons and the backwardness of the region.”

The forested region, comprising Dharni and Chikhaldara taluks, is largely inhabited by Korku Adivasis and is notorious for child deaths and malnutrition.

Every year, 400-500 children die of various causes. Of the 98 deaths in September, 79 occurred in Dharni taluk and the rest in Chikhaldara. Last month, there were five maternal deaths and 18 stillbirths.

Dr. Yelurkar said that in September 2009, there were 72 deaths reported. The death toll till September last year was 283, while the total for this year was 289. There was no significant increase, he said.

The causes of death were low birthweight, premature delivery, and neo-natal infections, the health officer said.

A committee conducted an audit of every maternal death, he said. The area is plagued by lack of staff; of the 22 posts of medical officer in the Melghat region, four were vacant. There was no medical officer in remote areas such as Hathru, and deputationists leave soon as did a child specialist posted at the Salona primary health care centre.

However, activists say, the deaths are not routine and are caused by malnutrition and neglect.

Purnima of the non-governmental organisation, KHOJ, which works in Melghat, pointed out that there were over 4,500 children in severe stages of under-nutrition in the region but there are no child development or treatment centres, which are specifically meant to cater for these children. Despite the allocation of funds under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), these centres have not been set up.

“While the government has opened 14 village-based, day-care centres in each block that cater for undernourished children in villages, the specialised Child Development Centres are yet to open in Amravati,” she says.

A Health Department report has positive findings in places where these centres were set up. Of the 236 children admitted to the Child Development Centres in 2008-09, the nutrition grades of 75 per cent of them improved, while in 2009-10, it was 48 per cent out of 58 admissions.

Funds not properly used

“There are huge funds, about Rs. 16 crore for the district under NRHM, but used only for construction activity or on purchases,” says Ms. Purnima.

Lack of planning, monitoring and coordination is mainly responsible for the high rate of child mortality in the region.

“There is an urgent need to initiate Child Development Centres or Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres based on the guidelines of the Rajmata Jijau Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Mission, for which funds have already been allocated,” says Ms. Purnima. “There is no coordination between health authorities under the Zilla Parishad and the district or rural hospitals.”

As for the government replacing hot cooked food for children between six months and three years with a programme of Take Home Ration (THR), activists say food under THR is of poor quality and not palatable.

The activists are demanding immediate collaborative action on various fronts as the situation will worsen if there are no employment opportunities available to people by month-end. Most of the Korku Adivasis in the region cultivate forest land which is still not regularised, and they migrate for work for the best part of the year.