Nutrient deficiencies kill 6000 children everyday in India

NEW DELHI, Wednesday (PTI) More than 6000 children below the age of five years die everyday in India, largely due to the lack of some basic micronutrients like Vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and folic acid, says a report by an international NGO, that was launched here on Tuesday.

Titled "Controlling Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies in India: Meeting the goal", the report - brought out by NGO 'The Micronutrient Initiative' - discusses and assesses the problem of malnourishment and micronutrient deficency in India.

"The 440 million people languishing at the bottom of the economic pyramid in India are worst-affected by micronutrient malnutrition," says the report, adding about 50,000 children were born deformed each year due to the various vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The report suggests a public-private partnership specifying targets, priorities, interventions, delivery channels, investment and recurring costs of the problem.

The report recommends fortified products like Vitamin A syrup for children under 5 years, iron folic acid tablets for pregnant women and adolscent girls, iodisation of salt for human and animal consupmtion to address the vitamin and mineral deficiencis in the country. It also suggestes financing mechanisms and partnership arrangements be developed and adopted by the Central and State governmnets in tandem with each other.

Taking a cue from their report, the Madhya Pradesh government has gone a step further as they plan to introduce nutri-candy - a candy comprising various micronutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid and Iron - to the children and pregnant and lactating mothers in the state. "We have the tender with us, everything is ready.

Within two months, we'll start supplying these unIque candies to our target groups like women and children through the various Aanganwadi centres in the state," said S R Mohanty, secretary, women &child development, government of Madhya Pradesh.

The report will be presented to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 21.