Women, children in quake hit districts suffer from malnutrition

KATHMANDU: The women and children from earthquake hit districts have been suffering from malnutrition.

It was found during the health camps conducted at different places of quake-hit districts- Jajarkot, Rukum Paschim and Salyan- in the last three months.

Total 46 health camps were organized under the ‘minimum health service programme’ launched in the disaster-hit districts.

The women and children visiting the health camps had shared that they were deprived of nutritious foods, according to Nepal Family Planning Association. More than 7,300 earthquake survivors underwent general health checkup in the camps. Among them, 944 were male and 6,355 female.

Similarly, 4,109 women had undergone test for cervical cancer.

The health camps were conducted at Bheri Municipality, Nalgad Municipality, Barekot Rural Municipality and Kushe Rural Municipality of Jajarkot, while Athbiskot Municipality and Sanibheri Rural Municipality of Rukum Paschim.

The Association informed that the camp visitors had complained that they were deprived of adequate food intake while they were already affected badly by the quake. There is no proper housing either. It resulted into weak health condition, the Association added.

The women and children from Kushe and Barekot were suffering most from malnutrition. The adults there had dearth of awareness on use of family planning contraceptives.

Mayor at Nalgad Municipality, Dambar Rawat, informed that such health camps should be conducted again. He admitted that there was threat to food security to the quake survivors. Even the housing is poor.

Similarly, Barekot rural municipality chair Bir Bahadur Giri and Mayor at Athbiskot municipality Rabi KC shared similar plight.