SANKHUWASABHA: Hundreds of children in the remote villages of Sankhuwasabha district are found to have suffered from malnutrition.

According to the local health workers, the malnutrition hit Villages are Kimathanka, Hatiya, Pawakhola and Chepuwa VDCs of Bhotkhola area in the district.

Over 500 children are suffering from malnutrition in Bhotkhola area alone, Tarani Ghimire, secretary of Hatiya VDC, said.The area lies some 150 kilometres north , 15-day journey on foot, from the district headquarters Khandbari.

A study showed that poverty and lack of balanced diet are the two major causes for malnutrition. Most of the villagers are so poor that the food grains they grow feed them only for three months. Majority of the parents are forced to work as labourers. Mothers cannot feed their babies either as they themselves go dry due to the lack of enough nutritious food.

“Most of the children, who come for treatment in the sub-health post, are suffering from malnutrition,” Phurpu Bhote, assistant health worker at Hatiya said. Dr Ajit Thapa, who visited the area recently, requested the villagers to bring their Children to the district hospital for treatment.