Covid: India's child malnutrition crisis

WorklifeIndia

An estimated 115 million children in India are said to be at risk of malnutrition. Experts say India's Covid lockdowns interrupted crucial government schemes that benefit hundreds of millions of women and children.

The malnutrition rates were already on the rise in the years leading up to the Covid outbreak. India’s lockdowns, some of the severest anywhere in the world, have made matters worse. In fact, recent reports indicate stunting among children in some areas has gone up by as much as 20% in a matter of just a few months.

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the challenges and the measures being taken to tackle child malnutrition during a devastating pandemic.

Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Dr Pavitra Mohan, co-founder, Basic HealthCare Services; Sophie Healy-Thow, food systems & nutrition activist, Ireland; Dr Sreehari M, state nodal officer - child health, NHM, Kerala