511 malnourished kids to be admitted to JJ Hospital this week

The state government will get 511 malnourished children from Palghar district admitted to the state-run JJ Hospital for treatment. The kids will be brought to the city by the end of this week. They are currently admitted in a civil hospital in Palghar.

Seven villages were scanned last week, with 13,566 kids examined for malnutrition. The state government has roped in 10 paediatricians and 50 intern doctors to combat the problem, especially in Palghar district. Under the move, teams of experts from Mumbai visited the areas neighbouring Palghar where the deaths of infants and children had been reported in the recent past.

The dean of JJ Hospital, Dr T.P. Lahane, said: “We have sent our experts to these affected areas, including a team of 10 specialist doctors along with 50 intern doctors.”

He added: “The kids who were examined were in the age group of 0-10 years. They showed signs of inflammation on their legs. Apart from general health problems, many of them have also contracted infections.”

Dr Lahane also told The Asian Age, “We have created enough space for these kids to be admitted. We have also asked for the required stock of medicines so that as soon as the kids arrive here, we can start with their treatment.”

The doctors who were a part of the inspecting team had examined 2,475 children in Palghar district, of whom 392 were diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition.

Meanwhile, state health minister Deepak Sawant said, “A team from the state-run JJ Hospital and KEM Hospital, and from private hospitals such as Surya and Jaslok, would visit identified villages twice a week to conduct systematic check-ups, while guiding pregnant women and malnourished children on the correct food habits and other preventive measures.”