Opinion

Health workers reach villages in Bajura to treat malnourished children

By Prakash Singh

Health personnel in Bajura district have been visiting different villages in search of malnourished children. Photo: Praksh Singh/THT

BAJURA, APRIL 13

Health personnel in Bajura district have been visiting different villages in search of malnourished children.

'Following the establishment of Nutrition re-establishment centre in Bajura District Hospital, health workers have been physically visiting different villages in the district in search of malnourished children to diagonise them, and to treat them,' shared chief doctor Prakashraj Joshi at the Bajura Hospital.

The recently inaugurated Nutrition Re-establishment Centre has been extending its services since December 23, 2022. The health workers have diagonised 853 children among which 69 were found to be acutely malnourished while 157 children had moderate nutrition insufficiency, informed Nirmala Sunar, program manager at the Nutrition centre.

49 of those severely malnourished children were treated at the Nutrition centre, among which 38 have already been discharged post treatment, added Sunar.

It has been learnt that the district has been reeling under overwhelming cases of malnutrition among children. Overall, Nepal has a malnutrition rate of 37 per cent, while in-charge at the Bajura Health Office confirmed that the district has a greater malnutrition rate than the national average.

Due to malnutrition, children have to suffer from untimely deaths. Moreover, treatment is not possible in many cases due to financial circumstances.