**Bhubaneswar:** In the wake of deaths of 19 malnourished children in the recent months that hogged the headlines and created ripples nationwide, a five-member fact-finding team of the Union Health Ministry arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Monday and is scheduled to visit the tribal-dominated remote village of Nagada in Jajpur district on Monday in the state here.
The team is here in Odisha to take stock of the situation and would suggest measures to tackle the situation.
The Central team is being led by Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry Joint Secretary Chetan B. Sanghi and includes National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) joint director Shella Dev, NVBDCP additional director Awajesh Kumar, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) advisor Arun Singh and Dr Prabin Kumar.
Talking to media at the airport, Awajesh Kumar said, “We have just arrived and could only comment on the matter only after an on-the-spot assessment for which we have slated to visit there tomorrow (Tuesday)”.
On being further queried he also informed that the team would also discuss with the state officials besides submitting a report with the Central Government.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the Odisha Government to submit a report in 10 days on the situation in Nagada village inhabited by the primitive Juang tribe.
The NCPCR member Priyanka Kanungo has written a letter to the Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi asking him to explain the reason behind the deaths and list of the steps taken by the State Government to alleviate the situation.
The Women and Child Welfare Department (W&CWD) has sought a report from the Jajpur Collector.