The picture of children’s health changed in the mining-affected area.
Raigarh. The state government’s commitment to providing basic amenities to every person living in mining-affected areas is being realized in the Tamnar area of Raigarh district. Planned initiatives in the field of health and nutrition, implemented through the District Mineral Foundation Trust Fund (DMF), Raigarh, have brought new hope to the lives of children struggling with serious problems like malnutrition.
In this vein, a 10-bed Nutrition Rehabilitation Center (NRC) building was constructed at the Tamnar Community Health Center with DMF funds, gifting the area with the goal of freeing it from malnutrition. Today, this building operates as a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center and is proving to be a lifeline for the malnourished children of the area.
During the years 2023-24 and 2024-25, a total of 297 malnourished children from the Tamnar and Gharghodha development blocks benefited from the NRC at the Tamnar Community Health Center. These children were admitted to the NRC for 15 days and provided medical care, along with a protein-rich, balanced, and nutritious diet, which strengthened not only their physical but also their mental development.
An important feature of the NRC is that along with the children, their mothers are also involved in the care process. Mothers were provided incentives for proper care of the children, which increased family participation and ensured the effectiveness of treatment. This positive impact was significant, with significant improvements in the children’s weight, energy levels, and overall health during the inpatient period.
It is noteworthy that the Tamnar area of Raigarh district is identified as a mining-affected area. The state government is making systematic efforts to expand basic amenities such as electricity, water, roads, health, education, and nutrition in these areas through DMF funds. The Nutrition Rehabilitation Center is a living example of this, where concrete steps have been taken to provide better health and a secure future to children from mining-affected communities. These efforts being made in the field of health and nutrition under the DMF scheme are realizing the concept of “rise of the last person” i.e. Antyodaya.
