Bs Reporter / New Delhi September 11, 2008, 0:53 IST

The UNDP

BY SUDHIR K. SINGH
BHOPAL/KHANDWA

Malnutrition remains a challenging issue in Southeast Asia, including India, says the latest UN report on achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The report states that East and Southeast Asian countries have met the MDG target of reducing the 1990 levels of extreme poverty by half but more efforts need to be put in. This report will serve as curtain raiser for world leaders who will be meeting in New York on September 25th to renew commitments in achieving MDGs and setting out plans and practical steps for action.

Chennai

AMID the giggles of dozens of children at the Konambedu Municipality School here on Sunday, Health Secretary V K Subburaj formally launched a Rotary Club programme to combat malnutrition among children.The programme, organised by the 12 clubs under the 3230 Rotary District and called

Chennai

DESPITE various schemes and programmes being offered to improve nutrition and child well-being, the National Family Health Survey III conducted in 2005-06 has revealed startling statistics about the level of child nutrition in the State.Over 70 per cent of children in the State aged between six months and three years are anaemic. Their mothers are not doing any better: over half of all married women are also anaemic.

A survey in Maharashtra villages links malnutrition to lack of sustainable livelihood Over 40 children below five years of age died of malnutrition and related complications in Nandurbar

National Family Health Survey (2005-06), Madhya Pradesh Over 60 per cent of the total child population, about 33,000, are underweight and malnourished About 40 per cent of them are stunted and 33 per cent wasted (extremely malnourished) Infant mortality rate is 79 per 1,000 live births, the highest in the country, against the national average of 58 Under-five

All these malnutrition deaths occurred in one district in Madhya Pradesh This sounds like yet another tale of malnutrition deaths concocted by activists. At least the district administration of Satna, Madhya Pradesh, thinks so. One year-old Budhlal died in the last week of July. The same week, two-year-old Sheelta, four-year-old Neetu and six-year-old Rajkumari also died. All deaths