NEW DELHI, June 4 (H.S.): The Congress on Thursday accused the Central Government of neglecting the health and nutritional needs of women and children. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government is deliberately withholding crucial data from the sixth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), which, according to him, highlights its shortcomings in addressing critical public health challenges.

In a post on the social media platform X, Kharge said that the findings of NFHS-6 expose the government's inadequacies in tackling malnutrition and related health concerns. He claimed that one in every five children is suffering from acute malnutrition, one-third of children are underweight, and 84 per cent of children between the ages of six and 23 months are not receiving adequate nutrition.

He further stated that 57 per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 years are affected by anaemia, while one in every five women is undernourished. According to Kharge, these indicators point to serious gaps in the government's approach towards maternal and child health and nutrition.

The Congress President alleged that the government frequently resorts to suppressing selective data and prioritising publicity campaigns, preventing the true extent of the situation from coming to light. He maintained that greater transparency is essential to address the challenges facing women and children across the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar