Under National Health Mission (NHM) 1151 NRCs have been established all across the country to provide facility based care for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and medical complications. As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS 4, 2015-16), 7.5% of under five children are severely wasted and 35.8% of children are underweight.

Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) along with medical complications are referred from villages by frontline workers such ASHA and Anganwadi workers and admitted to NRCs as per the defined admission criteria. In order to improve their health condition, medical and nutritional therapeutic care is provided during NRC stay.

As per report received from States/ UTs, 1.86 lakhs under five children were admitted in the NRCs in the year of 2017-18, out of which 1.17 lakhs children were discharged with target weight gain.

Regular and periodic review of NRC functionality is carried out under child health programme by central and State Government teams including through Common Review Mission visits. Accordingly, specific recommendations are provided for improvement of NRC functionality and quality of service delivery.

*****

MV/SK