Fighting child malnutrition

 

Among various factors, child malnutrition, access to clean and safe water, environmental pollution and gender inequality are considered as antidotes to and impediments to economic growth and development. India having chosen the path of achieving Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030 by or before that deadline, has to address these issues on priority. Child malnutrition is directly related to the physical and mental condition of children and on the potential human resources of the country as the children grow in age. We have to see it in the context of how strong the young upcoming generation especially from our poorer and rural remote areas, are made free from malnutrition and nutritious normal diet provided to them. Unless individual families are ”uplifted” economically, the malnutritional children cannot be freed from impending physical disabilities. No doubt, with schemes like Aanganwadi with focus on rural child care, if implemented widely and honestly, can go a long way in addressing the problem of child malnutrition. What is, however, needed is to make it an integral part of the country’s public health-care system. Role of awareness and elementary education about the importance of ”limiting” the family among the women, popularising contraceptive counselling and supply, nutrition education and the like is the important obverse part of addressing this problem. On these lines, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu shared his feelings and gave valuable suggestions while speaking recently in a virtual function of inauguration of Association of Indian Universities. There could not have been a better forum to share these valuable thoughts and facts by the Vice President.