The Curse of Poverty

Severe Acute Malnutrition is a World Health Organization classification that India uses. Due to Severe Acute Malnutrition, small children can go blind due to repeated starvation. Such cases are reported regularly. Dr. R. Potdar, trustee of Centre for Study of Social Change, a non-profit organization working in Bandra (Mumbai) slums says, “As a part of the immunization programme, the civic body gives vitamin A doses to children below five years every six months. Despite that, it is sad that children are going blind because of vitamin A deficiency”. Dr. Alka Jadhavi, professor of pediatric medicine, Sion Hospital (Mumbai) states, “Mothers in urban slums work and have many children, so they have no time to feed them at periodic intervals”. Dr. Vasundhara Joshi, executive director SNEHA says, “The problem is that parents (poor) don’t see malnutrition as an emergency.”

Geeta Chhabra


 
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