INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
BAJURA, MARCH 21The overwhelming number of the children of Muktikot village, Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality -1,
Bajura are suffering from severe malnutrition.
Running taps at houses elate locals of Bajura's Badimalika Municipality
Apihimal Rural Municipality at high risk of food crisis
As per locals, as many as 12 children, including infants, have already
lost their lives to malnutrition since April 2021.
Despite an increase in the number of malnutrition-related deaths in the
region, the authorities, however, have remained apathetic to the situation.Mansuwa BK, 25, died the next day after giving birth to a
According to locals, the new mother was severely malnourished, and the infant was born undernourished as well.Similarly, the newborn child
of Rangita BK, 22, perished due to poor nutrition shortly after delivery.The three-year-old daughter of Janaki BK also died of
malnourishment a month ago while the two-year-old daughter of Debu BK also died two months ago
"My elder son had also died of malnourishment earlier," Debu grieved.A team from The Himalayan Times arrived in Muktikot for on-the-ground
reporting and learned that 12 newborns had died since the start of the Nepali calendar this year.The village unfortunately witnesses deaths
due to malnourishment every year.Muktikot has 400 Dalit households and a majority of the members in these homes are undernourished
Death of newborns and children as a result of malnutrition has, sadly, become all too prevalent in the community.Many youngsters are
fighting for their life as a result of starvation as malnutrition has the greatest impact on children and pregnant women.At the moment, more
than 30 children in Muktikot village are malnourished; however, the government has yet to assess and address situation of malnourished
children in the community.Absolutely no measure has been taken by provincial or federal governments to help save new mothers and babies from
malnourishment.The village is distant from the eye of the state, as per Binod Pandey, Programme Manager of Fian Nepal, an organization that
works in the field of food rightsAlthough a community health centre has just been established in the area, it does not provide malnutrition
screenings and such essential tests other than basic care.In the area, a woman can be found giving birth to two to three kids, or more.Only
one general care facility is available in the village, and the locals are unable to travel to a more proper health centre owing to financial
woes, according to Belmati BK, who added that she is more concerned with how to make ends meet than with getting treatment in a faraway
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com