Hunger-stricken kids in city slums

Mumbai: Over 170 children in the M/E Ward (Govandi) suffer from severe acute malnutrition while 439 have moderate acute malnutrition, according to a survey conducted in 2017 by an NGO, Fight Hunger Foundation (FHF). These kids reside in three slum pockets — Umerkhadi, Sathe Nagar and a transit camp in the area. The health department maintains that malnutrition is on a decline in the state.

The Asian Age visited these slums on Sunday and found that a number of issues like migration, lack of awareness, unemployment, anemic pregnant women, leading to malnutrition in children. Situated near a dumping yard, the residents of these slums live among the pollution caused by frequent minor fires in the vicinity. The narrow, suffocating lanes between their houses make it further difficult for them to lead healthy lives.

Explaining their work with the kids, Bhami Vora, head of department of health and nutrition at FHF said, “First, we do an active screening of the children under the age of five years and if detected with acute malnutrition, we treat them.”

“If a kid is found to be suffering from severe malnutrition and unable to get better with our medical help, we refer them to a nearby civic-run hospital,” she said. They have referred three kids to Rajawadi Hospital in 2017. She further says of the 6,032 children screen last year, they have treated 588 so far.

“The NGO’s claims are false as they don’t get the grants without blowing up the issue. We are doing our job, said Rais Shaikh corporator of M/E ward.

When asked about the presence of malnourished kids in the area, that we encountered on our visit, Mr Shaikh replied, “They may be there but the government is reaching out to them through us.”

The Asian Age tried to reach the minister for women and child development Pankaja Munde and Vinita Ved Singhal, secretary, state women and child welfare department, but they were unavailable for comment.