No malnutrition deaths now: DMO

The Hindu: Palakkad: Friday, November 27, 2015.

In RTI reply, Health Department contradicts its earlier stand.

Contradicting its own earlier stand that malnutrition was the major reason behind continuing infant mortality in Attappady, the Health Department has stated that no malnutrition-related death was reported from any of the 192 tribal hamlets in the region since January 2013.

In a Right to Information (RTI) reply to social worker R.J. Rajendraprasad, the District Medical Officer (DMO) claimed that no malnutrition-related death had occurred in Attappady between January 2013 and October 2015. The DMO also stated that no fund was sanctioned to the department to address the issue of infant mortality happening because of malnutrition. However, the report said the department was receiving funds to improve the health condition of tribal people in Attappady.

‘Only two cases’

When contacted by The Hindu , DMO in-charge S. Jayasree said the tribal hamlets of Attappady reported only two cases of malnutrition-related deaths and that too was in 2012.

“Since then, there was no such child mortality. Infant mortality is happening here due to many other reasons. Malnutrition had never been a factor,’’ she said.

As per official statistics, 13 infant deaths were reported from Attappady since January this year.

However, non-governmental organisations working in the region claim the number was 24. While the area reported 16 tribal infant deaths in 2012, the number rose to 44 in 2013. In 2014, the figure was 24.

Major causes

It was only in March this year that Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar told the State Assembly that lack of effective implementation of health packages by officials concerned and malnutrition of pregnant women were the major causes of continuing infant deaths in Attappady.

 “A government order sourced through RTI regarding new posts in the tribal super specialty hospital in Attappady says Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had convened a high-level meeting in Attappady on April 25, 2013 in the backdrop of malnutrition-related deaths. There are many such documents in which the government confirmed malnutrition-related deaths,” said Mr. Rajendraprasad.

Kerala State Child Rights Commission member N. Babu said malnutrition was the key reason for the infant deaths.

“The number started decreasing due to effective interventions like community kitchen and revival of tribal farming practices. But no once can say malnutrition never existed here,’’ he said.