'Healthy diet matters'

Warangal: The fortnight-long Poshan Pakhwada, an outreach programme focusing on nutrition as part of Jan Andolan under POSHAN Abhiyaan of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Government of India that commenced on International Women's Day March 8, concluded

on Friday.

During the fortnight-long programme, the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department of Warangal Rural District organised several programmes such as Poshan melas, rallies on nutrition, sessions on nutrition at schools, self-help group (SHGs) meetings, anaemia camps, growth monitoring of children, home visits of new-born babies by ASHA/AWW, sanitation and nutrition day.

Warangal Rural District Welfare Project Director M Sabitha said: "The programme is aimed at addressing the problem of malnutrition among children, adolescent girls and women.

We involved all the Anganwadi teachers and workers, SHGs, officials of Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), health and education to bring awareness among the masses about the ill-effects of malnutrition."

It may be mentioned here that there are 908 Anganwadi centres in the Warangal Rural district and of which 834 are major centres and 74 are mini centres.

The authorities are providing nutritious food to around 35,000 children every day at Anganwadi centres.

According to a survey, there are about 4,000 pregnant women and 4,000 lactating mothers in the region.

"The ICDS is creating awareness among them about the ill effects of anaemia and calcium deficiency," Sabitha said, referring to the programmes organised in the Rural district.

ICDS supervisors Jakkula Lavanya and K Vasanthi, who organised Poshan Mela as part of Poshan Pakhwada at Bollikonda village under Nekkonda manal on Friday, told the pregnant women and lactating mothers to be cautious about their nutrition.

The supervisors explained about the problems of malnutrition. Later, the supervisors gave oath to students on Poshan Abhiyaan. Such programmes organised across the rural district, according to officials.