Jumla, July 15

Jumla district has witnessed a gradual decline in the malnutrition rate.

According to the five-year data of the District Health Office, the malnutrition rate is decreasing in Jumla. As per the data for the year 2015, 10.6 percent children below one r were found under malnutrition while it was 15.4 percent in case of children from one to two years and 12.7 percent children from birth up to two years.

Likewise, in the year 2016, roughly 12.6 percent children below one year, 12.4 percent children from one to two years and 12.6 percent from birth up to two years were found having malnutrition.

10.9 percent children below one year were reported with malnutrition while 12.7 percent children from one to two years and 11.9 percent from birth up to two years were found with malnutrition in the year 2017.

Similarly, in the year 2018, 7.2 percent children below one year were found with malnutrition while 10.8 percent children from one to two years and 9 percent children from birth to two years were assessed to be in the state of malnutrition.

The percentage of children below one year was declined to 3.7 percent while it was 7.8 percent in case of the children from one to two years and 5.7 percent from both up to two years in the year 2019. Public Health In-charge Krishna Prasad Sapkota shared that the health office had admitted and treated 65 children with malnutrition in 2015; 148 in 2016; 292 in 2017; 111 in 2018 and 83 in 2019.

“This year’s data is yet to come”, he added. In order to reduce the state iof malnutrition of women and children, the Nepal government, Karnali state government and World Food Programme have aided financial grant to implement the ‘Ama (Thousand Days Mother) programme. —