As another dangerously underweight toddler balances precariously on his set of scales, Dr Om Prakash knows he has to move fast to avert tragedy.

"The children who are severely malnourished can die between a few hours to a few days," said the doctor during a shift at an intensive care unit exclusively for children in India's poorest state.

"For the health of any person, nutrition is the first requirement. When nutrition is affected, all of the body's functions are deranged."