The Karnataka government lost the plot on malnutrition during the pandemic because anganwadi workers were deputed to vaccination-related activities especially in rural areas. “This diversion of anganwadi workers will take a toll on children in the years to come because many have been deprived for nearly one and a half years of proper nutritional support,” said a source from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). Another expert flagged the issue of immunisation being hit, which she said will lead to “aggravate” malnutrition. “During the pandemic, routine immunisation was affected. Increased incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases will in turn aggravate malnutrition. We are expecting a surge in kwashiorkor, marasmus, night blindness and rickets,” said Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health activist.
‘Thousands of malnourished kids in Karnataka, data shows’, Deccan Herald
