Today people of Block Mahore witnessed a dawn of hope by witnessing first time the implementation of VHSND (Village Health Sanitation & Nutrition Day). The awareness about VHSND was generated through NHED (Nutrition & Health Education) sessions at 35 Anganwadi Centres centres of five panchayat of ICDs project Mahore (Sarh, Chasana, Bathoie-C, Mahore-B, Mahore-C) Speaking on the occasion CDPO Mahore, Smt Anjum Ganai said that Village Health Sanitation & Nutrition programme has been rolled out in all the AWCs with the support of Health & Public Health and Engineering Department. In which all the services are delivered at Anganwadi Centres on a fixed day. Awareness is generated for Hand -washing at Critical time that is before the meal and after using the toilet and also stressed for maintaining personal hygiene.The event was attended by School Children and the Field functionaries of ICDS like Anganwadi workers/Helpers, accredited social health activists.Mrs Ganai appealed the public to come forward and join the hands with ICDS in spreading the message as the involvement of public at the grass root level can prove beneficial in the long run in achieving the objectives of the schemes in a time bound manner so as to lead the state in building Healthy India.CDPO further said that we also need to realize that as per the data available our children are severely malnourished in this project and by collective efforts we will be in a position to eradicate it in a time bound manner, she appealed the field workers to take up the challenge in eradication of the malnutrition from these projects as a mission.Further CDPO said that Village Health Sanitation & Nutrition Day envisages to provide services such as immunization, Health check up, Referral services, refreshment for children, distribution of IFA (Iron Follic Acid Tablets), and administration of Vitamin A solution.
Apart of this services, people are given orientation and promotion on maintaining health and hygiene in their households and in their surroundings. Today, this event was given required impetus for its conduct and afterwards, it would be observed as a monthly exercise to be observed and practiced in all villages said Anjum Ganai.CDPO Further said that ICDS in collaboration with Health Department and PRI functionaries are responsible for planing, organising and implementing this exercise. After roll out of POSHAN Abhiyan, by Hon’ble PM, VHSND is one of the best platform where all functionaries at the smallest administrative unit (Gram Panchayat) can bring in required convergence for successfully tackling nutritional-related challenges from whole country. Stunning, wasting, low birth weight, and Anaemia are the prevalent health complications observed in people all over the country, inspite of various schemes from various departments. To tackle these prevailing challenges, departments have to come on the same table for addressing via using multi-pronged approach. VHSND is one of such approach which is one of the answer to these challenges (especially in terms of bottom-up approach).CDPO is also very optimistic with the conduct of VHSND and said,''events like VHSND can go a long way in addressing nutritional related challenges and are helpful tools when it comes to community mobilization, behavioral change, and in creating awareness among people with respect to services provision". It is pertinent to mention here again, event like VHSND if observed frequently can go a long way in helping beneficiaries like pregnant, lactating and nursing mothers, children under age group (0-6 years) who sometimes are the bottom end and not every time can prevail services by visiting their closest sub-centres. Summing up, a lot of work has to be done but a foundation for future has been laid today.