Hope for undocumented children as industry gathers nutritional data on orphanages

Chennai:

In a bid to study the nutritional status of undocumented children and involve corporates to fight malnutrition, Confederation of Indian Industry has launched Swasthya: Health Card Project’s pilot nutrition assessment across orphanages in the city on Tuesday.

The project, which is launched by Young Indians of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has initially prepared a health card of 160 orphans in four orphanages of Kaakum Karangal Children Home.

Dr Vinod Prem Anand, Chair (Healthcare), Young Indians, who is leading the project with a medical team and Dr Arun, told Express that the orphans have been targeted under the project as they are undocumented and are not covered under the state schemes.

Under the scheme, the healthcare status of the children is first assessed under the project. “We look at height, weight, body mass index as well as anthropometric measurements. Once the data is stored, we will do a routine check on the nutritional status of the child,” said Dr Vinod.

He said the study found out that about 90 per cent of children are anaemic and an equal number lack oral hygiene. The study also found that 40 per cent are below height and about 50 per cent are underweight.

Interestingly, the study also revealed that most of the children are not immunized, said Dr Vinod.

Dr Vinod said once the card measures the nutritional status, he will be involving corporate companies and corporate hospitals to become stakeholders in fighting malnutrition. “We are also looking at tie-up with food providers,” he said. “In the next three months we are targeting more than 1,000 children and the Young Indians will be submitting the report as well as recommendation to the state government,” he added.