Khargone: Aanganwadi worker Reena Patidar probably understands the fact that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body and a country can’t progress if children remain malnourished.
Her belief led her to force a 70-year-old grandfather of a malnourished, underweight child who needed medical attention and good care to survive. According to information, Naval was born on December 31, 2019, in Damkheda Colony in Ajja family. After a month of his birth, Naval’s mother Surli passed away and his father Deeta Singh with crippled feet was incapable of taking care of his son.
Finally, his responsibility was shouldered by his septuagenarian grandfather Teekhiya who worked as a labourer and reared goats for a living. Teekhiya was raising the child somehow. Naval was underweight since birth and his weight was falling constantly. Anganwadi worker Reena Patidar who was concerned about the child’s deteriorating health, advised him every day to admit the child in Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), to which Teekhiya didn’t agree.
Naval was suffering from diarrhoea and had skin allergy. Finally, the anganwadi worker instilled fear about his grandson’s death in Teekhiya and got Naval admitted at NRC of district hospital on September 10, 2020.
After being admitted in NRC, Naval who is now 1-year-old, was treated for allergy and was given ready to eat, nutritious diet. Meanwhile, Reena also taught his grandfather how to bring up the child. His skin allergy has been cured and his weight has increased. Naval weighs 5 kilograms. Now, Reena is encouraging Tikhiya to feed Naval with ready to eat diet daily.
