Jitendra was worried because his 3 months old son Naman was constantly losing weight and his health was deteriorating day by day. He was suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). SAM is the most extreme and visible form of undernutrition. Children with severe acute malnutrition have very low weight for their height and severe muscle wasting. Severe acute malnutrition is a major cause of death in children under 5, and its prevention and treatment are critical to child survival and development.

India ranks 120 out of 130 countries in prevalence of wasting (15.1%), or low weight for height, according to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report, which ranks countries from lowest to highest prevalence.

SABAL, an integrated programme of Caritas India supported by BMZ Germany helping Korku community in Khalwa block of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh and Melghat region of Amravati district in Maharashtra to free themselves from chronic malnutrition and hunger. The programme addresses the major nutritional problems of public health significance like Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM), Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) and Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA).

Rakesh Karole, working for the Nutritional Health of SABAL programme identified Naman during the normal house visit. Naman belongs to the Korku tribe who deeply trust and believes in the local healer called Padiharas but he was also not able to treat the child and his parents were giving traditional remedies to Naman for curing the illness.

Rakesh gave counselling to the family member on the critical condition of the child & asked the parents to admit the child to the nearest Nutrition Rehabilitation Center (NRC) but parents were not agreeing. Rakesh never left hope but continuously visited Naman’s family and counselled parents which made them agree to admit the child in NRC. After some primary checkups, Nurse & Doctor at NRC Khalwa referred Naman to the district hospital NRC Khandwa where he was given complete care for 15 days. With some additional treatment from private health facilities of Khandwa his condition started improving and he gained 1.5Kg weight after the treatment.

At present his weight is 5.1 Kg just double of the first weight measured during the NRC Linkage. Now after two and half months of intensive care and support his weight was found doubled.

Rakesh regularly visiting Naman and guiding his parents to provide good nutritious diet.  Now, after two and half months Naman’s condition has improved positively. SABAL initiative has proved that SABAL is just not the word but is the voyage towards the welfare of the mankind.