India is facing severe levels of malnutrition. It has been tagged as a country with ‘serious’ levels of hunger.
There is a moral and technical failure in the world where hunger and malnutrition have yet to be eradicated.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has ignited public awareness. The report estimated that one-third of the food produced globally is never eaten. The research underlying this remain widely cited today.
FAO has been working to tailor pilot programs in the field and to improve practical understanding of how to make it possible to reduce food loss and waste in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
India, in terms of hunger rankings, was 102nd in 2019. Child wasting rate is exceptionally high at 20.8%—the highest wasting rate of any country in this report for which data is available. There is conquering stunting, wasting and decreased infant mortality rate to some extent.
“Prevention is essential when there is a need to improve maternal and child health outcomes. We also need to focus on the present burden of severe ‘Malnutrition’ in the country, that has not changed in the last decade. Malnourished women give birth to babies being born with low birth weight (LBW). Also, a single bout of diarrhoea can push an LBW baby towards acute malnutrition. Therefore, providing energy-dense nutritious food and access to clean water and sanitation for families is of utmost importance.
What is the solution?
The requirement is to do what is possible without forgetting what is necessary. Nutrition is an intergeneration problem, and it is not like any other infectious disease. There can’t be any overnight changes in diet. Public health experts say that India needs some more time to tackle malnutrition and the efforts are going on. There is a need for more efforts, but it is taking time to show results.
“Our actions have created a world in which it is becoming difficult to adequately and sustainably nourish the human population.
“Climatic changes are affecting the global food system in ways that increase the threats to those who already suffer from hunger and undernutrition. It is highlighting that climate change affects the quality and safety of food. This can lead to the production of toxins on crops and worsen the nutritional value of cultivated food.
The report states that climatic changes can bring down the concentrations of zinc,protein and iron in the crops. Therefore, by 205, an estimated additional 180 million people could be deficient in zinc, and another 123 million people could experience protein deficiencies. It is pathetic to see our country and the globe moving towards such situations.
EKAM Foundation is a unique health care model, primarily focusing on the health and nutrition of the neonates and infants. The primary is not to replace but to supplement the Public health care system. As a child’s health is dependent on the health of its mother, interventions are tailored to address the challenges and gaps. Log onto www.ekamoneness.org to help as a community.
