For the estimated five million severely malnourished children in the country, providing sufficient food might seem to be the obvious solution. Despite the existing programmes on child nutrition, the status of malnourishment has not changed much over the last 15 years.

Top nutritionists in the country recently suggested an approach that could make a difference. At a meeting held in Delhi from November 11-13, 2005, they strongly argued in favour of home-based treatment of severely malnourished children through grassroots workers. What they proposed is quite different from the line taken by the World Health Organization (who), which says cases of malnourishment should be treated in hospitals. But who's strategy is difficult to implement in India, which lacks the required health- care infrastructure.

"Right now the choice is between