In Nagaland, 11.2% children under 5 years are wasted (low weight-for-height), 4.2% children under 5 years severely wasted, 28.6% children under 5 years are stunted (low height for age), 16.8% children under 5 years are underweight (weight-for-age) and 21.6 % children age 6-59 months are anaemic (iron deficiency), as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015 -16) released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
As per the NFHS-3 (2005-06), 38.8% children under 5 years were stunted, 13.3% wasted, 5.2% severely wasted and 25.2% underweight.
The NFHS-4 fieldwork for Nagaland was conducted from March 1, 2016 to October 3, 2016 by Research & Development Initiative (RDI) and gathered information from 11,213 households, 10,790 women, and 1,440 men.
According to Unicef, stunting is caused by long-term insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections.
Wasting is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five. It is usually the result of acute significant food shortage and/or disease.
Speaking at the State Level Multi-Stakeholder ‘village health and nutrition day’ (VHND) sensitization and review on National Cold Chain Management Information System (NCCMIS) held at Hotel Vivor here organized by National Health Mission Nagaland supported by UNICEF, the principal secretary Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), Menukhol John, said the new figures that have emerged were a cause for great concern, adding that everyone was responsible.
The figures, he said showed that health workers were not working sincerely. In this regard, he urged the health workers to be more committed and dedicated to their duties. Principal secretary H&FW also shared the achievements of the department.
Further, as per the NFHS-4, around 23.7% non-pregnant women age 15-49 years are anaemic, 28.9% pregnant women age 15-49 years are anaemic and 23.9% of all women age 15-49 years are anaemic.
The survey also shows that only 17.5% breastfeeding children age 6-23 months were receiving an adequate diet. Around 44.5% children under 6 months in the state were exclusively breastfed lowest being Kohima and Dimapur districts.
In his address, mission director (Nationla Health Mission Nagaland), Dr. Limaakum Jamir, said that with the cooperation and support of churches, NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs), a lot of things could be done where the government failed to reach. He also highlighted the objective of the meeting.
School education director, Wonthungo Tsopoe, said that without the support and cooperation of the people, the school education department in the state would not progress.
He reminded the gathering the need to re-visit Communitization Act in the state to achieve the desired goal.
Social Welfare director, T. Merangtsungba stressed on the need to create awareness on saving mothers and girl child from various diseases.
Dr. Limaakum Jamir said church had a greater role to play in fulfilling the activities of village health and nutrition day.
NHP project director also addressed the gathering.
At the seminar, various topics were discussed including concept and objectives of VHND, health care service packages under VHND, roles and responsibility of other stakeholders (non-health department & CBOs), group work to develop plan of action for addressing challenges in VHND implementation, update from recent CCO review meeting, review of key cold chain performance indicators and others.
The programme was attended by around 70 persons from various quarters including department of social welfare, school education, health and family welfare, administration, NGOs, mothers’ association, NBCC, WHO, UNDP and others.