Tackling malnutrition in India -Moyna Manku

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published Published on Jan 22, 2017   modified Modified on Jan 22, 2017
-Livemint.com

The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey, being conducted by Unicef and the health ministry, is the first of its kind in terms of sample size and parameters

Devthala village, in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district, is abuzz with ‘medical’ activity. In one of its dwellings, a six-year-old’s height, weight, arm length, waist size as well as grip strength are being measured by one of half a dozen surveyors. A Unicef delegation is watching over the process. When the child’s grandmother asks know how this will help, someone from the delegation explains the long-term benefits of the exercise. After listening for five minutes, she says, “This is wonderful. This means there will be fewer people sick in our household in the years to come.”

Around 65 families out of 600 households in Devthala (as per the 2011 census) allowed city dwellers in white lab coats to collect blood, stool and urine samples and take measurements of their children in December. The surveyors also asked questions regarding education, job status, sanitation facilities, and number of family members, apart from testing the children’s IQ.

The exercise, the first of its kind in terms of sample size and parameters tested, was part of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted jointly by Unicef, the ministry of health and family and welfare, the ministry of statistics and program implementation, not-for-profit entity Population Council of India, private sector firm SRL Diagnostics Ltd and ArcelorMittal SA chief financial officer Aditya Mittal and his wife Megha, who have contributed over $10 million for the pan-India survey.

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Livemint.com, 20 January, 2017, http://www.livemint.com/Politics/qqz3CiSHNQIF67T6kNILvK/Tackling-malnutrition-in-India.html


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