Mysuru NRC Lies Defunct; NICU Overcrowding Exposes Disturbing State of Child Healthcare

A surprise inspection by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) on Thursday exposed the alarming neglect at Cheluvamba Hospital's Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), a facility established under the National Health Mission (NHM) to treat severely acutely malnourished (SAM) children, which was found completely defunct with no admissions, an idle kitchen, and empty food containers.

In-charge KSCPCR chairman Shashidhar Kosambe, accompanied by member Tippeswamy and District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Kumaraswamy, expressed shock at the state of the center in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's home district, where officials from the pediatrics department and the hospital superintendent were left red-faced when questioned about the non-functioning ward.

The NRC, designed to provide specialized nutritious diets, medical monitoring, and caregiver counselling for SAM children, had been reduced to a mere resting area for two OPD patients, with no cooking activity or therapeutic care in sight despite 91 identified SAM cases across Mysuru district. Kosambe criticized the blatant failure, stating, "The government has launched several schemes to address malnutrition among children. It is the duty of officials to ensure these benefits reach the eligible children. This shows the government’s benefits are not reaching those who truly need them."

Compounding the crisis, the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was severely overcrowded, with two newborns sharing a single warmer in nearly every unit, posing grave risks of infection and inadequate care in a facility meant to handle critical cases. The inspection team highlighted how such lapses undermine statewide initiatives to combat child malnutrition and neonatal mortality, which is especially ironic in a flagship government hospital.

Also Read: Technical Glitch at Delhi Airport Disrupts ATC Operations, Over 100 Flights Delayed

Kosambe directed immediate corrective measures, including reactivation of the NRC and proper staffing, while warning of further action if complacency persists. The revelations have sparked outrage among child rights activists, who demand accountability and systemic audits of NHM facilities across Karnataka to prevent similar defeats of public health objectives. As Mysuru grapples with these shortcomings, the incident underscores urgent gaps in implementing welfare schemes at the grassroots level.

Also Read: Opposition Condemns Bandi Sanjay’s Remarks as Divisive Ahead of Crucial By-Election