Nutrition awareness campaign initiated under Poshan Abhiyan programme

Vikarabad: The State government has initiated ‘Intinta Poshana Samburalu’ (Nutrition every home), a part of ‘Poshan Abhiyan’, India’s flagship program to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.  This programme will be conducted in partnership with people, voluntary organization and schools as per the plans designed by the Department of Women and Child Welfare. 

As part of the program, ‘Anganwadi to every home’ is already being conducted in the district. September month is declared as national nutrition month and the programs form part of this campaign. In the five Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) projects of the Vikarabad district, there are 1106 Anganwadi centers, which take care of 65,062 children, 7,089 pregnant women and 6,530 lactating mothers. 

Poshan Abhiyan will be conducted for four weeks. In the first week, district officials hold meetings with general public to increase awareness on nutrition. In the second week, rallies will beconducted in the village for increased public participation. Nutrition exhibitions (Poshan Mela) will be held in villages in the third week of the campaign. 

In the last week, authorities conduct awareness campaigns to explain people about impact of malnutrition on pregnant mothers, infants and lactating mothers.Anganwadi workers visit each home, identify people who suffer from malnutrition and distribute necessary medicines and nutritional supplements. The importance of balanced diet including essential vitamins and iron,as well as need for proper hygiene will be explained to women.

The officials said that this program is to increase awareness among pregnant and lactating mothers on nutrition. Our focus is on minimizinganemia and malnutrition among women and decreasing the number of low birth weight children. We will visit every home and explain people on various aspects of nutrition and infant and newborn care.