Updated: Saturday, September 22, 2012, 16:36
Written by: Maitreyee
There is something seriously disturbing about villages in the Raichur district of Karnataka. As stunted and malnourished children cry in hunger pangs and helpless parents look for support from authorities, story of Raichur portrays India's endemic problem of hunger and deprivation.
Over 2,600 children under the age of 6 years have died of malnutrition in Raichur district of Karnataka during the past two years, as per data provided by women and child welfare department.
India stands bottom in the nutrition barometer and shares its position along with countries like Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Yemen.
Save the Children's Nutrition Barometer is a study of nutrition-specific commitments by 36 developing countries across the globe. The study finds India sharing space with two other countries at the bottom of the table.
Shocking Statistics
The study makes some shocking disclosures. According to the report, almost half of Indian children are underweight and stunted, and more than 70 per cent of women and kids have serious nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia.
Even in the wealthy families, one child in five is undernourished, says the study.
The number of Indian children dying before their fifth birthday declined from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011 globally, the data adds.
India's neighbours like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal are also part of the report, but they fare better than the big brother in dealing with malnutrition, says the study.
Hunger: "National Shame"
Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has branded malnutrition among children a "national shame", after a report said nearly half of children under five in the country were underweight.
According to the report, 42 per cent of children in that age bracket are suffering from malnutrition.
Singh said the level of malnutrition in India was "unacceptably high".
The Hunger and Malnutrition Report also said that one in three malnourished children in the world is Indian.
Reasons behind malnourishment
One doesn't require opinion from experts to find out the reasons behind malnourishment. We all know, India is a country where more than half-of-its population are living below the poverty line. Acute poverty, unemployment, poor income and lack of health services coupled with government's apathy towards providing food for all has made hunger a "national disease" for underprivileged children.
Figures say that India hardly spends on health programmes. Only 1.67% of GDP has been earmarked in the 12th Plan for health.
National Shame: Young and hungry mouths of India | Feature - Oneindia News
Written by: Maitreyee
There is something seriously disturbing about villages in the Raichur district of Karnataka. As stunted and malnourished children cry in hunger pangs and helpless parents look for support from authorities, story of Raichur portrays India's endemic problem of hunger and deprivation.
Over 2,600 children under the age of 6 years have died of malnutrition in Raichur district of Karnataka during the past two years, as per data provided by women and child welfare department.
India stands bottom in the nutrition barometer and shares its position along with countries like Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Yemen.
Save the Children's Nutrition Barometer is a study of nutrition-specific commitments by 36 developing countries across the globe. The study finds India sharing space with two other countries at the bottom of the table.
Shocking Statistics
The study makes some shocking disclosures. According to the report, almost half of Indian children are underweight and stunted, and more than 70 per cent of women and kids have serious nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia.
Even in the wealthy families, one child in five is undernourished, says the study.
The number of Indian children dying before their fifth birthday declined from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011 globally, the data adds.
India's neighbours like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal are also part of the report, but they fare better than the big brother in dealing with malnutrition, says the study.
Hunger: "National Shame"
Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has branded malnutrition among children a "national shame", after a report said nearly half of children under five in the country were underweight.
According to the report, 42 per cent of children in that age bracket are suffering from malnutrition.
Singh said the level of malnutrition in India was "unacceptably high".
The Hunger and Malnutrition Report also said that one in three malnourished children in the world is Indian.
Reasons behind malnourishment
One doesn't require opinion from experts to find out the reasons behind malnourishment. We all know, India is a country where more than half-of-its population are living below the poverty line. Acute poverty, unemployment, poor income and lack of health services coupled with government's apathy towards providing food for all has made hunger a "national disease" for underprivileged children.
Figures say that India hardly spends on health programmes. Only 1.67% of GDP has been earmarked in the 12th Plan for health.
National Shame: Young and hungry mouths of India | Feature - Oneindia News
