Health Report: 19.5 Crore Indians Are Undernourished

A seminar conducted in Assam revealed that infant mortality rate in India is 48 per cent and 36 per cent of Indian children under five years of age are stunted

Highlights

195 million people in India are still undernourished
36.4 per cent children under five years of age are stunted
Assam's position is among one of the bottom five states of the country

Guwahati: Close to 195 million people in India still remains undernourished and do not have access to healthy diet, a seminar was told here today. Assam’s position was among one of the bottom five states of the country and was also lacking in its health and nutrition indicators with 36.4 per cent children under five years of age stunted and infant mortality rate at a high 48 per cent.

The seminar ‘Transforming the Food and Nutrition Landscape in Assam’, organised by Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security, India (CFNS) and Inter Agency Group (IAG), Assam, stressed the need for an urgent and concerted action along with a new development agenda to tackle hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in the state.

Opportunities for achieving food and nutrition security in a sustainable way have been globally identified and many countries are making progress on it.

Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia said there was a need for an urgent action on the issue and the state can tackle the problem besides setting an example for the other states.

The seminar also discussed how resources can be optimally utilised to improve the present situation and what best could be done to achieve the state targets.

Also Read: Poor Neonatal Care Responsible For High Infant Mortality In India