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Wage loss fear saps nutrition centres
Services of Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) which provides health facilities to children of the ages between 6 and 60 months, who suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) are not being utilised fully in the State.
Hyderabad: Services of Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) which provides health facilities to children of the ages between 6 and 60 months, who suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) are not being utilised fully in the State.
NRCs could play a key role in addressing the issue of malnourished children and to reduce Infant Mortality Rates (IMR) in the rural pockets, according to officials in the State Health Directorates working in the National Health Mission. There are 12 NRCs in the State but only four located in the tribal belts of Bhadrachalam, Eturunagaram and Utnoor are functioning successfully.
Though NRCs are much needed, they are not being properly utilised. According to an official, a child to be brought to NRC would mean that along with the mother and child another attendant would have to accompany them- forgoing their daily wage. “If they go for work they get about Rs 300 per day but at the NRCs the government pays them only Rs 100 per day. Those who come to the centre leave within four to five days though they should stay for 15 days.
The department has roped in the services of ASHA and Anganwadi staff to convince women to admit children at the NRCs as malnutrition cannot be addressed at home. Still, not much interest is being shown mainly because of fear of wage loss,” he added.
Though there is no dearth of funds the bed occupancy rates are not more than 50 per cent, even in the four centres located in the tribal belt, sources said.In the backdrop of this situation, the officials have now put up proposals to bring changes in providing compensation for wage loss to improve the occupancy ratio of the existing NRCs before it could take up opening new centres in the newly formed districts.
It may be mentioned here that NRCs are essentially set up in district hospital campus and Community Health Centres with NRC ward of bed strength of 20 or 10, a kitchen with proper cooking and feed demonstration space. These centres play an important role in timely intervention of diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia etc.
VRC Phaniharan
