“Malnutrition-Quit India” Echoes in the hills
5 Dariya News
Reasi 15-Sep-2018
In continuation to the Poshan Maah celebrations, Nuked Natak, road show and home visits were today organized by the Field Staff in village Sungri of Block Chasana in ICDS Project Mahore. The event was attended by Field Functionaries of ICDS, Local Leader, Ex Panches/ Sarpanches, Adolcent Girls and pregnant women/ lactating mothers, accredited social health activists, and school children. A colourful Nukad Natak, with the theme revolving around sensitizing the general public about Health, Hygiene, Nutrition, and Girl Child protection etc, in the remote place attracted local public and the stage thus was effectively used for spreading the awareness about Malnutrition, Health, Hygiene, Sanitation, optimum breast feeding.Road show/rally, first of its kind in the area, was also organized by the CDPO which passed through the hills to Create public awareness on malnutrition. We generally hear sounds of Birds and animals in the forest areas, but today the sounds of “Malnutrition-Quit India” were heard echoing in the hills of Mahore. The field staff along with School Children in the form of rally passed through hilly terrain and thick forest to reach many villages and conduct home visits of Pregnant Ladies & Lactating Mothers.
Highlighting the tough terrain of the area, Ms Ganai, appreciated the efforts of field staff of ICDS Project, comprising of only ie Supervisors, Workers and Helpers, and said that they have done a tremendous job over a brief period of time which has changed the health profile of the people of the area.Ms Ganai said that the staff has been channelized in such a way so as to reach every house hold with main thrust on Behavioral change, as mere providing of Nutrition is not going to solve the problem of malnutrition in the area. Special sessions with the villagers are being conducted with the support of health workers to motivate them for behavioral change, which includes health, hygiene, sanitation, drinking boiled water and encouraging institutional deliveries and optimum breast feeding. They also provided awareness about the food habits and intake of healthy food. Besides this monthly VHSND, Community Based Events, and special awareness programmes are being conducted regularly in the Anganwadi Centres, said Ms Ganai.
While speaking on the occasion Ms Ganai said that we need to understand that our country is passing through a phase of silent emergency in the form of Malnutrition as Malnourished children can not participate in the economic development of our country. Since children are future of our country, and as such we need to wage a war against this silent enemy (Malnutrition), with the pledge to make every Child Malnutrition free, with the slogan Malnutrition-quit India.Further she appealed everyone present, to remember four golden rules to eradicate Malnutrition completely which are 1) proper Nutrition to mother during pregnancy, 2) Mothers milk within one hour of the birth of child, 3) only mother’s milk during the first six months and lastly 4) after six months, add nutritious diet along with mother’s milk, and need of the hour is that we all need to come together on one platform and wage a war against malnutrition. Creating public awareness on different dimensions of malnutrition is a key requirement and said that this campaign creates an enabling social environment to bring the rural people close to ICDS and join it in eradicating Malnutrition.