State-level meeting for observation of nutrition month held

Dimapur, Aug. 27 (EMN):  As part of Jan ‘Andolan,’ a state level meeting of the departments for implementation of “Poshan Abhiyaan” and national nutrition month (Rhastriya Poshan Maah) was held on Aug. 27 at the Secretariat conference hall.

During the programme, secretary of the Social Welfare department, Sarah R Ritse briefed the activities of ‘Jan Andolan’ and said that it is a key influencer and an agent in empowering families to promote optimal physical and cognitive development of their children.

She said that ‘Poshan Abhiyaan,’ which was launched on March 8 this year by the Prime Minister of India, is a flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mother that intends to give prominence to nutrition at the highest level in the country. She appraised that to ensure holistic approach all 36 states / UTs and 718 districts will be covered in a phase manner by the year 2020.

State Nodal Officer for Poshan Abhiyaan, Tulula Pongen gave an overview on ‘Poshan Maah.’ She said that the programme aims to ensure service delivery and interventions by use of technology, behavioural change through convergence and lays down specific targets to be achieved. She informed that nutrition month will be observed in September with the aim of reaching every household with ‘har ghar poshan tyohar'(every house a celebration of nutrition).

Pangen further highlighted that ‘Abhiyaan’ targets to reduce stunting, under nutrition, anemia and low birth weight in children, as also, focus on adolescents girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition and low birth weight by 2%,3% and 2% per annum respectively. The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022.

the month-long intensive campaign will promote antenatal care, breast feeding, fight anemia, convey messages about the importance of nutrition for girls and the right age of marriage,deliver messages about the importance of growth monitoring and also promote hygiene and sanitation.

CDPO (master trainer in ICDS-CAS), James Ezung presented on how to access and monitor the ‘Poshan Maah’ dashboard d. He said it is an online dashboard to showcase live and real performance of ‘Jan Andolan Mission’ through online form and app data entry on daily basis. The entry level of the activities so far is conducted in three level-headed by the district, state and, block level.

“Poshan pledge” was administered to all the participants by Ritse.

Various line departments of Planning; Health& Family Welfare, NHM; Rural Development, NRLM supporting the initiative gave detailed presentations on their action plan to make the state malnutrition free.

The partners for the initiative are Niti Ayog, Ministries of Women & Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Housing & Urban Affairs, Human Resources Development, Information & Broadcasting, Consumer Affairs, Food& Public Distribution, Tribal Affairs, Minority Affairs and Ayush.