Dimapur, August 29 (MExN): The National Nutrition Mission (Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyaan), Nagaland on Sunday announced its action plans for the month long celebration of Poshan Maah (Nutrition month) in September.
According to a press release from the State Project Management Unit (SPMU)- Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyaan, the mission aims to achieve improvement in status of nutrition of children and women by reducing the level of stunting, under-nutrition, low birth weight in children and anemia in children and women. Jan Andolan (mass movement) and community mobilization are essential component for effective implementation of the mission.
It said that in pursuance of the mission’s objective, nutrition month is celebrated in convergence with all stakeholders during the month of September since 2018. Key convergence departments include Department of Social Welfare, School Education, local administration, RD-Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM), Health & Family Welfare – AYUSH & PHED.
For the fourth Rashtriya Poshan Maah planned in the month of September 2021, the mission has identified four basic themes that will help maintain the momentum and capitalize on the gains of its events.
Stating that the Panchayati Raj institutions are the nodal point at the grassroots level, it informed that the Panchayati Raj’s role is envisaged in community mobilization, creating awareness in general and specifically in the following weekly activities planned for the month.
The first week’s activities will begin with the launch of Poshan Maah on September 1 and center around Poshan Vatika (nutrition garden) plantation drive and promotion of kitchen garden at the district, block and village levels. It will also include slogan writing competitions about nutritious food for pregnant women, the release stated.
The theme for the second week is Yoga and AYUSH for nutrition wherein Yoga demonstration, Anemia camps and cooking competitions will be conducted at the village, blocks and district levels.
Nutrition kit distribution to Anganwadi beneficiaries in High Burden Districts will be the point of focus for the third week, according to the release. Ensuring timely distribution of nutrition kits to eligible beneficiaries, local food shows, poshan seminars and poshan rallies at the block and district levels, are some of the activities lined up for the week, it stated.
As per the SPMU release, the fourth week of nutrition month will focus on identification of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) along with facilitating conduct of door to door survey for height and weight measurement of children under 5 years of age in entire catchments area of Anganwadi Workers, Accredited Social Health Activists, and Auxiliary Nursing Midwives, from September 1 to 15. The week will also see referral and community based awareness and sensitization on visual identification of SAM children and awareness campaigns on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) at the village, block and district levels.
The fifth week will consist of various essay and quiz competitions on topics like complementary feeding, hand hygiene (WASH), VHSND and the closing ceremony for nutrition month will be conducted on September 30, the release stated.
