Question : Gobal Hunger Index

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the details of schemes/programmes run by the Ministry apart from the Ministry of Women and Child Development for the welfare of mother and children and expenditure incurred by it during each of the last three years;

(b) whether as per Global Hunger Index-2016, one in five Indian children under the age of five are wasted due to malnutrition, if so, the reasons therefor; and

(c) the details of the proposed action plan for protecting the health of the children in the country?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a): Improving health of mother and children is one of the top most priorities under National Health Mission (NHM) of Government of India. To reduce maternal and child mortality as well as to improve nutritional status among mothers and children, various programmes under National Health Mission are being implemented by States/ UTs, which are attached in the annexure.

Public health is a State subject. The above interventions are being implemented by the States and UTs, and funds are being provided comprehensively under National Health Mission for improving health and wellbeing of vulnerable population including mother and children as per proposals received from the States and UTs in their Programme Implementation Plan.

(b): As per Global Hunger Index-2016, 15.1% of Indian children under the age of five years are wasted. The causes of malnutrition are multi-factorial. The immediate causes are inadequate access to food in appropriate quantity and quality and frequent childhood infections such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Poor infant young child feeding practices, poor personal and community hygiene backed by lack of awareness of caregivers on appropriate diet, poverty, and gender based discriminations are also responsible for childhood malnutrition.

(c): Details as per annexure.