Therapeutic diet for IDP children

Sandasen Marasinghe

A food package for one month is provided for children who were prescribed a Therapeutic diet by doctors at the Manik Farm Relief Village when they were sent to their native villages for resettlement.

Deputy Director of Preventive Health at the IDP Healthcare Directorate at the Manik Farm at Chettikulam Dr. N. Wijesekara said the special diet was prescribed for weak children among the IDP's.

Speaking to the Daily News Dr. Wijesekara said that such a food supply was provided to ensure the child would receive the recommended nutrition until the families are well established in their villages. Dr. Wijesekara also said the IDP's in the Manik Farm were provided with an exceptional health service pointing to the fact that the doctor-patient ratio at the Manik Farm was higher than in any part of the country.

There were 92 doctors for 85,000 IDP's in the Manik Farm and a staff of 301. He also said that the expected crude mortality rate in such situations in the world was 0.5 to 10,000 and that rate was lesser at the Manik Farm although certain media had misreported it.

He further pointed out that 282,000 IDPs were received during the humanitarian operation and they were in poor health condition with wounds, malnutrition and diseases like hepatitis, chickenpox, diarrhoea etc.

But with the health service provided to them by the IDP Healthcare Directorate at Manik Farm under the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry the health condition of the IDPs has improved on par with the rest of the country.

Referring to research statistics revealed as a result of a joint venture by the Family Health Bureau and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) assisted by the Medical Research Institute, Dr. Wijesekara said that the children among IDPs suffering from malnutrition below 3SD (Severe Acute Under Nutrition) could be reduced from 15 percent to 1.3 percent from April 2009 to December 2009. During this period the children suffering from malnutrition between 3SD and 2SD (Moderate Acute Under Nutrition) could be reduced from 25 percent to 12.1 percent.

Describing how the health conditions improved Dr. Wijesekara said that among many other activities the Nutrition Rehabilitation Programs were conducted and Therapeutic Food Supply was recommended for the needy. Many psycho social activities and types of treatment were conducted at the psychosocial centres. Children were provided with TVs and many concerts like "Ananda Malei" and "Wasantha Malei" were organized for them to display their talents.