The Full form of NRC is Nutrition Rehabilitation Center. NRC is a in a health facility where children with SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) are admitted and managed. A steady linkage with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) identifies and refers severely malnourished children in the community using MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) tape. Children are admitted in NRC as per the defined admission criteria adopted in line with Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) 2006 and new WHO 2009 recommendations and provided with medical and nutritional therapeutic care.
Once discharged from the NRC, the child continues to be in the Nutrition Rehabilitation program till he/she attains the defined discharge criteria from the program. In addition to curative care special focus is given on timely, adequate and appropriate feeding for children; and on improving the skills of mothers, feeding practices and caregivers on complete age appropriate caring. In addition, efforts are made to build the capacity of mothers/caregivers through counseling and support to identify the nutrition and health problems in their child.
NRCs are essentially set up in district hospital campus and Community Health Centers with NRC ward of bed strength of 10 or 20, a kitchen with proper cooking and feed demonstration space and attached bathrooms/toilets.
Video Explanation of NRC full form