A doctor couple from Birganj brought their only child, an 11-month-old daughter, to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Center at Narayan Hospital in Birganj on Sunday. According to the age of the couple's daughter, a doctor working in a separate hospital in Birgunj, she weighed only 5.5 kg, which should have been at least 7.5 kg.

Sarita Yadav, the head of the center, questioned the doctor couple about the food they gave their daughter and the amount of nutrition in it. In that sequence, it was found that the food of that girl was high in protein and low in carbohydrates. In addition, Yadav said that the taste of the food given to the girl did not match and the time schedule did not match. "The doctor and couple have been giving their daughter food that doesn't taste good, high in protein and low in carbohydrates, in the name of nutritious food," says Yadav.

Rita Devi of Bara Jitpur Simra-6 Nagaul brought her 2 years and 4 months old twins Prem Singh and Prinsa Singh to the same nutrition rehabilitation center on July 15. Son's weight is 10 kg and height is 88 cm. Daughter's weight is 6.5 kg and height is only 77 cm . She gave birth to these twins in her sixth pregnancy. Earlier there were only 5 daughters . Now he has seven children including six daughters. Don't own your farm . The husband working in an industry is not sick after the industry is closed .  

In both these cases, the financial condition of the parents and the number of children are different . It has been found that even the medical couple did not give their children general information about the amount of food and the nutrition found in it, and their children fell victim to malnutrition. Rita Devi said that due to poverty and lack of awareness, it was found that she could not give nutritious food to her children. Yadav, head of the center, also says that malnutrition among children is not reduced due to the lack of knowledge about nutrition among parents and the tendency to not pay attention to the problem of malnutrition until they see it in the body of children. 

She said that the problem of malnutrition among children is increasing due to the tendency of parents to give their children more prepared food such as noodles, biscuits, mum, chowmin. Some parents tend to send such prepared meals to their children even in school tiffins, resulting in malnourishment in children. She also said that some of the children who come to the treatment center come back to the center after they return home healthy and malnourished. In this way, she told that the problem of malnutrition in Terai-Madhesh is being created more by the parents due to the tendency of not paying attention to their children's diet.  

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The data of the

center over the last 5 years shows that the problem of malnutrition is increasing every year instead of decreasing. Out of 142 children admitted to the center for treatment in 2020, 131 were severely malnourished. Out of 136 admissions in 2021, 114 were severely malnourished. Out of 190 admissions in 2022, 157 were severely malnourished. Out of 196 admissions in 2023, 158 were severely malnourished. In 2024, out of 175 admissions, 157 were severely malnourished. Apart from this, the local level of the district has conducted an "Outpatient Therapeutic Center" for the treatment of malnourished children. Raju Sah, head of health division of Birganj Metropolitan Municipality, says that this center is operating in 8 wards of Birgunj Metropolitan Municipality-14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 28 and 30.

has given the responsibility of the head of paramedics, nursing and AHEB as the focal person in the center in each ward . The office of the Metropolitan Corporation has also given 7 days training to its 66 human resources to bear the responsibility of the center . In addition to this, every month vaccination campaign, vitamin A and alvendazole feeding campaign, pregnant women, pregnant women who come to the village clinic, health post, and children who come with women who come to get family planning tools are checked to determine if they are malnourished.  According to the age of the children who come in contact with the

center, after measuring the weight and arms, it is determined if the children are malnourished. Children who have been diagnosed with malnutrition are given ``RUTF'' in the form of nutritious food under their supervision. Along with this, ``Shakti Vita'' containing micronutrients is also given. Every seven days their health condition is checked . Sah says that if he is not healthy for 42 days, he will be referred to the nutrition rehabilitation center at Narayani Hospital in Birgunj.

District Health Office Officer Anil Mishra said that there are 45 outpatient therapeutic centers in various municipalities of the district including Birganj Mahanagar. There should be such a center in every ward and the local levels have not been able to make full arrangements for it . Currently, there are 5/5 centers in Thori and Jirabwani Rural Municipality, 6/6 in Jagarnathpur Rural Municipality and Parsagadhi Municipality, 2/2 in Patervasugauli and Sakhuwaprasauni Rural Municipality, 4 in Bahudarmai Municipality, 1 in Pokhria Municipality, 1 in Kalikamai Rural Municipality, 2 in Dhobini Rural Municipality and 3 in Chhipharmai Rural Municipality. 

According to the latest standards of the World Health Organization, the problem of malnutrition in children will be determined if the weight is not according to the height, says Yadav, the head of the Nutrition Rehabilitation Center. She said that there are 3 types of malnutrition in children, which are usually stunted and ravenous, underweight according to age and lack of micronutrients. Generally, the height of a newborn baby should be at least 50 cm and the next year should be 25 cm, the third year 12.5 cm and the fourth year 12.5 cm, she said.