Child malnutrition, no reliable data: Special select committee

By Yohan Perera   

Whilst highlighting that there is no reliable data on child  malnutrition in Sri Lanka, the special select committee on child  malnutrition in Sri Lanka had advised the relevant institutions to  provide correct data.

The instruction was given by the Chairman of the Select  Committee, MP Vadivel Suresh when the committee met at parliamentary  complex recently.   

“There are no proper data on child malnutrition among  children in the estate sector as well,” the MP has said during the  meeting. The institutions were asked to hand over correct data before  the budget on November 13, 2023.   

It was also revealed that the distribution of Thriposha for  the children between the age of six months and three years have been  stopped because of an issue pertaining to criteria. However, distribution  of Thriposha among the children between the age of three and five are  taking place continuously. The select committee advised the relevant  health officers to distribute among the most eligible children. The  committee also advised the health authorities to monitor the nutrition  programmes which are carried out by the NGOs.   
Closure of MOH offices in the Central hills had led to the  standstill of nutrition programmes in the area. One officer has been  forced to cover 3,000 families as a result.   

Members of the committee Rohini Kaviratne, Upul Gallpathi,  Jagath Samarawickrama and Sujith Sanjaya Perera were present at the  meeting.

• Institutions requested to hand over correct data before  the budget on November 13, 2023