According to a new study, over 50 per cent children succumb to malnutrition in India. The study paints a grim picture of the childcare health scenario in India.
The report suggests developing a nutrition surveillance system to identify clusters of cases and deaths due to under-nutrition. It also recommends setting up of a working group comprising of experts to monitor Integrated Child Development Scheme and National Rural Health Mission.
"The problem of malnutrition is acute. There has to be a synergy between all ministries like health, rural development, education and WCD to ensure that we are able to meet targets," Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Krishna Tirath said.
The WCD ministry has already presented a paper to Planning Commission on the issue. Sources said there was need for nutritional aspect to take centre stage in all welfare programmes and policies. While this has been done to some extent in government programmes like National Rural Health Mission, ICDS, JNNURM, Rajiv Gandhi national drinking water mission and national food security mission, the report pointed out that gaps remained.