Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government have reviewed the functioning and performance of the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to make the NRCs more effective?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a): Yes. There are 966 Nutritional Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) in 25 States/UTs of the country with 10,904 functional beds. The review conducted for year 2015-16 showed that 1.7 lakh children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted to these NRCs and out of which 92,760 children were discharged with target weight gain.
(b): Under National Health Mission, following actions have been initiated through state health missions:
• To follow the recommended admission criteria for admitting children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) to NRCs, so that the sick SAM children are admitted for management in NRC.
• To recruit the staff as per norms suggested in “Operational Guidelines on Facility based Management of Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition” of MoHFW to deliver services adequately.
• Capacity building of NRC staffs to carry out appropriate management of sick SAM children admitted in NRCs.
• Monitoring the functionality of the NRCs through quarterly and annual reports shared by the States/ UTs as well as during supportive supervisory visits to NRCs.
• Critical review of the performance of NRCs with the child health Nodal officers during National child health programme review workshops held annually by Child Health Division, MoHFW.