Dharwad district is facing an alarming rise in childhood malnutrition, with 2,006 children suffering from undernutrition and 129 from acute malnutrition, according to the Department of Women and Child Welfare. Contributing factors include inadequate nutrition during pregnancy, anemia, and parental neglect.
Among the 1.07 lakh children aged six months to six years enrolled in 1,622 anganwadis in the district, the number of malnourished children has increased slightly within the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation limits. From May 2023 to May 2024, cases of general malnutrition rose from 1,122 to 1,149, and acute malnutrition increased from 54 to 62.
Despite these figures, the overall number of malnourished children in the district has decreased from 2,093 last May to 1,877 this year. Stunting, wasting, and overweight in children under five are key indicators of malnutrition, which can lead to severe health issues such as impaired cognitive and physical development and higher susceptibility to infections.
Efforts to combat this issue include monthly height and weight checks at anganwadis, as well as programs like ‘Poshan’ and ‘Matrupoorna’ aimed at raising nutritional awareness among parents. Malnourished children are examined by doctors and treated at Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) located in Dharwad, Hubballi, and Kalaghatgi. Dr. TA Shepur, Chief of NRC at Dharwad Civil Hospital, noted that children stay at the NRC for 15 days or longer if needed for treatment.