Malnutrition, child deaths plague tribals

India’s

indigenous children are far more likely to die or suffer from malnutrition than those from other communities, according to the first government study on health among tribal groups.

Among indigenous communities, 57 of every 1,000 children die before age five, compared to 37 deaths in other social groups, says the report released last week.

The national average for malnutrition among children is 35 per cent, while researchers found that 42 per cent of indigenous children are underweight. (Reuters)