Thane: A 3-year-old child in a Palghar village, found to be in a severely malnourished state by a social health activist, was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Bhiwandi, on Friday.
Bhumika Vilas Shanwar, 3, is suffering from malnutrition. Her father Vikas and mother Surekha are labourers at a brick kiln in Dabhad village in Bhiwandi taluka. They are residents of Dahanu taluka in Palghar district. Bhumika has a one-year-old sister, Tanuja.
A social activist, Asha Bhoir, visited Dabhad village on Friday and spotted Bhumika's precarious state. She immediately realised the child was suffering from severe malnutrition. Bhoir then spoke to her mother about the health and advised that the child be immediately hospitalised.
Later, the child was taken to the primary health Centre at Dabhad, where the doctor found she only weighed 6 kg. She was referred to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Bhiwandi for further treatment.
Doctors are concerned by the increasing number of malnutrition-related deaths of children in the tribal-dominated areas of Palghar.
Anil Throat, CMO, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGM) said, "Bhumika is suffering severe malnutrition and is undergoing treatment at the child treatment centre in IGM hospital. She was brought in on Friday afternoon."
"Approximately, 40 childrens suffering from malnutrition have come to IGM hospital for treatment from April 2019 to February 2020", Thorat added.
According to sources, Bhumika's one-year- old sister also suffers from malnutrition.
