amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 "why hasn't a vast survey of women and children carried out by the Indian government with the UN agency for children, Unicef, been released? India's so-called Rapid Survey of Children was a huge undertaking. Almost 100,000 children were measured and weighed and more than 200,000 people interviewed across the country's 29 states. The final report was due for publication in October last year, the BBC understands. Yet, more than half a year later, the important body of data remains secret. Leading development economist Jean Dreze describes the delay in publication as "an absolute scandal". "All the neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan and even Afghanistan have up to date nutritional surveys," he says. "It is hard to account for a 10-year gap without attributing some sort of political reluctance." The BBC managed to get a hold of the latest report and indicates why it may be held back from release : The BBC has asked the Indian government why it hasn't been released and when it expects to - but we haven't received a response. We have, however, managed to get hold of a copy of the report. Looking just at the overall figures, India's reluctance to publish the survey is rather surprising. It shows the country has an encouraging story to tell. Indicators of malnutrition are still very high, far higher than most African nations, but they are improving. Ten years ago, two-fifths of children under five were underweight, now it is more like a third. However, the survey confirms large and enduring discrepancies between states, including the continuing strikingly poor performance of the Indian prime minister's home state, Gujarat. The results of the survey might lead some people to question whether - in terms of health - it is really a model the nation should seek to emulate. It shows that despite impressive economic growth, the state continues to have some of the worst health outcomes in India. It says 41.8% of children in Gujarat are stunted while 43.8% don't have the all the vaccinations they need, for example. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33369710
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 " However, the survey confirms large and enduring discrepancies between states, including the continuing strikingly poor performance of the Indian prime minister's home state, Gujarat. It says 41.8% of children in Gujarat are stunted while 43.8% don't have the all the vaccinations they need, for example. Gujarat's poor results have led to speculation that one reason the government has been holding back the report is to spare the prime minister embarrassment. " :hmmm:
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 Government withholds a report on nutrition The Economist : " A REMARKABLE story has been unfolding in the past decade in India. A new study—conducted by the government and the UN agency for children, Unicef—offers evidence of a steady and widespread fall in malnutrition. But the picture is still grim. Judged by measures such as the prevalence of “stunting†(when children are unusually short for their age) and “wasting†(when they weigh too little for their height), India is still vastly hungrier than Africa. India’s government has been sitting on the report for months, though it has been ready since at least October. One rumour suggests official concern about the quality of the data, but Unicef has voiced no such worry. Another possible reason is the pride of India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, who ruled Gujarat for a dozen years. The new data indicate his relatively prosperous state performed worse than many poorer ones. The Economist has obtained the report, known as the Rapid Survey on Children (RSOC). It shows gains at both national and state levels. "
mishra Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 beef man is only going to make more kids underweight. -I said it :haha:
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 Why is the modi Govt withholding this report ? Answer : Kerala is #1 as always. http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/07/daily-chart-0
sensible-indian Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 I guess my lol was different from a few other lols.
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 beef man is only going to make more kids underweight. -I said it :haha: Beef is IRRELEVANT. The report is referring to Child malnutrition NOT adult malnutrition , Female literacy , supplementary nutrition and access to improved sanitation facilities will reduce child malnutrition . This is how Kerala continues to be the state with the lowest incidence of Child malnutrition.
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 Some other important points mentioned in the Economist : "1. In states with higher incomes, those nearer the coast and farther south, most health indicators are better. Typical high achievers are Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 2. In landlocked states, poorer ones and in the north, social and health results are usually worse. Notorious backward states include Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 3. North-eastern states are often outliers, both poor and landlocked but often with high rates of literacy and better health." ------------------------ How are Poor and landlocked North Eastern states with low levels of Industrialization able to Outperform the Industrialized States ?
Precambrian Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 Don't effin advise me about Kerala situation mate. It's a classic example of performing 'despite' and not 'because of' Why? Look at the industrial production, look at the primary sector... Kerala sucks in both... The key reason for it to perform so well is that it has so many NRIs abroad who bring in wealth and then the real estate boom.. That's all. And the small factor that us Keralites are generally of a higher IQ status.. :proud:
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 The articles are from BBC and The Economist and so are the quotes and they refer to the latest unreleased UNICEF and GOI data . low incidence of Child malnutrition has got very little or nothing to do with NRI's repatriating funds and the real estate boom . Poor North-Eastern states perform as well as Kerala with high rates of literacy and better health.
G_B_ Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 Adam Roberts @ARobertsjourno Jul 2 Madhya Pradesh cut proportion of children who go hungry from 60% to 36%; Bihar from 56% to 37%
amiret Posted July 3, 2015 Author Posted July 3, 2015 Unicef’s nutrition adviser for South Asia, Victor Aguayo, says : "India’s overall gains have been “unprecedented”. A decade ago 42.5% of all children under five were underweight. Now the reported rate is just below 30%. " In the next decade we can beat Africa where Child malnutrition is at 21%.
G_B_ Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 I think in the next 20 years, based on the rate of decline, India should be past its nutrition issues. hopefully.
rkt.india Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 Indian population must be very close to combined population of Africa.
sticky wicket Posted July 3, 2015 Posted July 3, 2015 BBC and Economist :sigh: hopefully Unicef can upload their report on their website at least...though seems positive news anyways with malnutrition reducing.
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