Prevalence of 'At-Risk' under five children in field practice area of Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) Nayla: A Cross-sectional study

The health of children is of fundamental importance. Without ensuring optimal child growth and development efforts to accelerate economic development significantly will be unsuccessful.1 Early childhood, that is the first six years constitutes the most crucial period in life, when the foundations are laid for cognitive, social & emotional language, physical & motor development and cumulative lifelong learning.2 

Under-five children constitute approximately 15% of the country's total population and are the most vulnerable group. These children represent a transition from infancy when the child is protected physically & physiologically by the mother. In these initial years of life, the child need proper health care and any adverse influences during this period may result in severe confines in their development.3 During this period about 40% of physical growth and 80% of mental development occurs in children. 4 

Currently, 79 countries have an under-five mortality rate above 25.5 If current trends continue with more than 50 countries falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target on child survival, some 60 million children under five years will die between 2017 and 2030.6 

Considering the NFHS survey-3 (2005-2006)7 , India has 7.4 million low birth weight babies per year. India is listed in the countries where malnutrition and child mortality is alarmingly high.