ANSWER: Malnutrition
Explanation:
- The new tool to screen malnutrition is measuring the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of a child with a flexible tape.
- According to World Health Organisation’s guidelines, states, including Maharashtra, measure stunting (low height for the age) and wasting (low weight for a height). Now, the government has included MUAC as a standard tool to measure malnourishment at anganwadis, prathamik arogya kendras, and district hospitals.
- The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) method must now be stressed upon as a parameter and be given more emphasis. Accordingly, Severe Acute Malnourishment (SAM) and Moderately Acute Malnourishment (MAM) are to be identified along with the use of height-weight ratio.
- Already implemented in Odisha, officials said that MUAC numbers can be a strong indicator of chronic malnutrition.
- The reason for introducing MUAC is rooted in the ambiguity in prevailing methods. At the primary screening of children for severe and moderately acute malnourishment, in anganwadis, weight as per age is measured, but in gram bal vikas kendras, the height-weight ratio is preferred. With the amendment, the measurement processes for preliminary and secondary screenings will ‘give preference’ to MUAC.
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