MALNUTRITION - Dr.Rajan Deshpande

FIGHT AGAINST MALNUTRITION

“Dr.Rajan has been deeply interested in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in children. Dr.Rajan’s concern for ‘the malnourished child’ spans over many
decades. His interest in malnourished children started from post graduate days as his thesis work was on ‘Protein Energy Malnutrition’. He has worked with Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations in the field of malnutrition on projects – to detect, treat and prevent malnutrition in children. He has adopted malnourished children and motivated other pediatricians to do so through ICDS Clinics. With the help of District Administration and Nutritionists, he took it up as a challenge through Children’s Academy, an NGO founded by him to have a pilot project to bring out severely malnourished children to the main stream. For a period of 6 months children were examined every week parents were counselled and children offered protein, iron, multi vitamin, de-worming and other medications. The cost of this program was borne by Dr.Rajan. Children needing hospitalization was done free of cost in his hospital. Dr.Rajan personally visited the slums and villages to identify the causes of malnutrition. He feels the major factors contributing to malnutrition in children of Dharwad are ignorance abou good nutrition, poor hygienic conditions at home, lopsided financial expenditures, lack of priorities in the family, substance abuse by parents and not necessarily poverty. This motivated the District Administration to extend this project to the whole of Dharwad District. He continues to advise on various strategic methods to combat malnutrition during meetings conducted by the Deputy Commissioner attended by the DHO, women & child welfare department members and other concerned members.”

“Malnutrition is a menace.

No country can boast of being a developed one till malnutrition is wiped out.”

Malnutrition in children is a big menace. Unless we make efforts to bring every child out of malnutrition, we cannot proudly say that our country has progressed. We need concentrated efforts in this direction and every individual or NGO will have to join hands in the efforts of government in that direction.

ADOPTION OF MALNOURISHED CHILDREN

ICDS Clinic during the year 1992 (Integrated child development scheme of government) All children below the age of 5 years and suffering from severe malnutrition were identified by Anganwadi workers and allotted to all private practicing pediatricians of Dharwad. This project was started in May 1992 and continued for 2 years. This was a brainchild of Dr.Rajan. They were assessed thrice a month by the pediatricians. There were nearly 150 children (75 severely malnourished and rest Borderline) who were adopted in this project. Each child followed up with their respective doctors and was brought out of malnutrition.

MALNUTRITION CLINIC

Dr.Rajan being the President of an NGO, Children’s Academy Dharwad, took the responsibility of the overall health of 79 malnourished children. This clinic was inaugurated by Shri K S Ningappa CEO Zilla Panchayat on 2nd October 2002. Anganwadi workers examined and identified malnutrition in children from slums. Total of 79 children were identified as having Grade III and IV malnutrition. They were given protein, iron and vitamin supplements. Nutritional and psychological counselling was done simultaneously. These children were followed up on regular basis and they came out of malnutrition

DISTRICT LEVEL PROJECT “MAGU NEE NAGU”

Holistic approach to malnourished in Dharwad district (Year 2013)

Under the guidance of District administration, a strategic pilot project for the management of malnourished children from the slums of Dharwad district was conducted. Shri Sameer Shukla, the then DC of Dharwad District was not very happy with the outcome of the Government services provided to malnourished children. In an informal discussion with Dr.Rajan, he wanted to know the way out. Dr.Rajan took it up as a challenge and decided to adopt under this project, severely malnourished children and bring them out of malnutrition within 6 months.

DISTRICT LEVEL PROJECT “MAGU NEE NAGU”

Holistic approach to malnourished in Dharwad district (Year 2013)

In this study, 60 malnourished children were taken up for intervention. A systematic study was conducted by the team handled by Dr Rajan assisted by Dr. Rama Rao, Nutrition scientist and Dr.V.Gaonkar, Child development expert. Dr.Rajan, along with the team, visited the houses of people living in slum to understand the ground realities.These children were regularly assessed by Dr.Rajan in his clinic. Out of the 60 children adopted under this project, only 50 children came for regular check up for 6 months on weekly basis. These children were given “Laddu” prepared specially for the children under the guidance of nutrition experts. Laddus being sweet and a favourite of children, were prepared with ingredients rich in protein, Iron and were also supplemented with Vitamin D. Children were simultaneously dewormed with Tab.Albendazole. The motor social developmental index was also studied.The whole expenditure of the project was borne by R K Foundation, a family trust of Dr.Rajan.To combat malnutrition, only providing nutritious food will not suffice, it needs a personalized approach to each family and to have a holistic approach.

Several important observations were made during the course of this project :

– Poverty was not the only cause of malnutrition.

– Liquor consumption by both father and mother were glaring

– They were ready to spend their hard-earned money on junk food/Ice cream etc but not on nutritious food.

– Lack of awareness about nutrition and eating healthy was glaring

– Unhygienic conditions were observed in every house hold

– Repeated infections in childhood, including tuberculosis, were the prime factors for malnutrition in these children.

This project impressed the district administration and they took it up and extended it to the whole of Dharwad district. The project is now funded by Deshpande foundation, Tata Marco Polo and Department of Home Sciences, University of Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad. Dr.Rajan Deshpande is the main advisor of this project.

A project report submitted to the Government through the deputy commissioner is enclosed.

TREATMENT OF SICK MALNOURISHED CHILDREN

Dr.Rajan admits malnourished children who are sick and coming from poor and down trodden section of society, in his hospital and treats them free of charge. He has also admitted 5 children out of 60 which were in their pilot project with district administration.