Balrampur: The Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), run by the state government in Balrampur, has emerged as a lifeline in the district’s fight against child malnutrition, giving children up to five years of age a chance at a healthy life. Located on the District Joint Hospital campus, the centre continues to play a leading role in treating children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and related medical complications.
Operating under the National Health Mission since April 21, 2015, the centre has so far admitted 2,398 severely malnourished children from the district for institutional treatment and nutritional rehabilitation. Through planned medical management, specialised therapeutic diets and close monitoring, 2,187 of them have recovered fully and returned home. Eleven severely malnourished children are currently undergoing intensive treatment under prescribed standards.
Coordinated identification and admission
A convergence mechanism between the district administration and the health department is a key foundation of this success. ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and mobile health teams of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), deployed across remote rural and Terai areas, screen children door to door. Once a medical examination confirms malnutrition, the child is taken by ambulance to the NRC without delay.
The centre has round-the-clock care from paediatricians and trained nursing staff. Secondary complications of malnutrition, including infections, hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, dehydration and micronutrient deficiencies, are continuously monitored. Each child’s body temperature, pulse and daily food intake are recorded regularly.
Growth tracking and early stimulation
During an average stay of 14 days, each child’s weight gain is tracked daily. To revive cognitive and social development delayed by prolonged malnutrition, the centre also has a sensory stimulation room, where age-appropriate toys and play activities help reactivate children’s mental development.
Recovery stories
The impact is evident in the children who have recovered here.
- Mohit was brought in with severe malnutrition and acute muscle weakness, unable to stand or walk. After 15 days of intensive treatment and therapeutic feeding under specialist doctors, his muscles improved and he began walking on his own.
- Manish, just one and a half months old, had faced severe malnutrition since birth. Suffering from acute dehydration and loss of fat and muscle, his bones had become clearly visible. After his family admitted him, his condition was stabilised through micronutrient management and support for breastfeeding.
- Noor, a two-month-old girl in a very fragile state, received timely treatment, infection control and special nutrition. She gained the required weight within the stipulated period and returned home fully healthy, to her family’s great joy.
Support for mothers
The livelihood of the mother who stays with the child is also taken care of. To compensate for daily wages lost during the hospital stay, the state government transfers a fixed daily wage-loss allowance directly into mothers’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The 14-day stay also serves as a nutrition education programme for mothers. The centre’s nutrition counsellor gives practical training on preparing nutritious meals (the “Tiranga Thali”) from locally available seasonal vegetables, pulses, grains and millets, as well as on using clean drinking water and maintaining personal hygiene. Under Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, mothers learn the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and the scientific approach to the quality and quantity of complementary feeding thereafter. Daily counselling also covers correct handwashing steps with soap and safe food storage habits.
Discharge and follow-up
A child is discharged only after showing consistent weight gain without swelling and becoming fully stable medically. To keep children from slipping back into malnutrition, a mandatory four-stage follow-up system, at 15, 30, 60 and 90 days, is in place in line with state government guidelines. At these intervals, the local ANM, ASHA and Anganwadi worker visit the child’s home to record weight and body measurements. If any growth faltering is found, corrective steps are taken immediately, and the child is brought back to the centre for consultation if needed.
The state government’s initiative is helping bring down child mortality significantly while giving the coming generation a strong physical and mental foundation.
Run jointly by the National Health Mission (NHM), Uttar Pradesh, and the Department of Medical and Health, NRCs have become a vital means of bringing children with SAM back into the mainstream of healthy life. The coordinated system of timely identification, specialised therapeutic nutrition, DBT wage compensation for mothers, and four-stage post-discharge follow-up continues to give children lasting health and families durable protection against malnutrition.
