Mayurbhanj district with significant tribal population has the highest incidence of SAM, with 1,460 affected children
OdishaPlus Bureau
On Saturday, the Odisha government informed the Assembly that there are 11,710 children in the state affected by Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, responsible for the Women and Child Development Department, provided this information in response to a question posed by BJP MLA Laxman Bag. According to her statement, the Mayurbhanj district, which has a significant tribal population, has the highest incidence of SAM, with 1,460 affected children.
Additionally, in the home district of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Keonjhar, there are 1,269 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Nabarangpur district has reported 760 cases, while other districts with notable numbers include Rayagada (645), Kalahandi (636), Malkangiri (570), Ganjam (558), and Balasore (536).
Conversely, Jagatsinghpur district has the lowest number of SAM cases among the 30 districts in Odisha, with only 50 malnourished children reported. Parida also updated the Assembly on various government initiatives aimed at combating child malnutrition. The Women and Child Development Department is actively implementing several programs, including the Supplementary Nutrition Programme, ‘Mukhymantri Samproona Pushti Yojana’ (MSPY), ‘Pada Prusti Karyakram’ (PPK), and ‘Mamata Diwas’-VHND (Village Health and Nutrition Day) at Anganwadi centres.
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