India is home to the largest population of malnourished children in the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains that were already weak to begin with. Left unattended to, we risk raising a “lost generation” of malnourished and poor children who are more likely to suffer from and cognitive and growth deficits, as they grow up.
Against this context, Chirag Chinnappa spoke to Dipa Sinha of the Right to Food Campaign and Dr. Vandana Prasad of the Public Health Resource Network to understand what needs to be done to address India’s numerous nutrition and health challenges. So how can our government services improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers? Why is there a need to be especially concerned with the care and nutrition available to those under 2 years of age, or born post-March 2020? What are some major bottlenecks that hold back the full realisation of the right to food children and their mothers in India?
Let’s find out.
