Bhubaneswar: POSHAN Maah, a month long campaign is being observed across the state in September2020. Since the launch of POSHAN, Abhiyaan in 2018, every year,
September,2020 is observed as POSHAN month in the entire country. In order to maintain the momentum and to capitalize the gains of Jan Andolan and Community
mobilization planned under POSHAN Abhiyaan, Rashtriya POSHAN Maah is being observed. The objective is to take the messages of POSHAN to the grass root level,
increase awareness on good nutrition practices and behaviours and to ensure enhanced uptake of services by the community.
Focus of the POSHAN Maah :The focus areas of this year’s observation is early identification of children with Severe Acute malnutrition/ Moderate Acute malnutrition and severely underweight children which will help in initiating early treatment and referral of such children. The state has started an initiative of adoption of such SAM/MAM/SUW by the ICDS functionaries which will ensure focused attention and care for such identified children.
Another focus area is on increasing awareness and promoting IYCF practices among the beneficiaries. The message that breast feeding couples with complementary
feeding helps in preventing malnutrition is being promoted intensively during POSHAN Maah.
Setting up of Mo Upakari Bagicha at the AWC level and the household of families of SAM children and high risk pregnant mothers in convergence with the
Department of Horticulture is being promulgated by the Department this year. The objective is to ensure dietary diversity and consumption of locally available
vegetables and fruits.
Other focus areas are on 1000 days approachie focused interventions from conception till the child attains 2 years of age for ensuring health and nutrition
outcomes for the mother and child. The frontline workers counsel the pregnant women on Antenatal care, Postnatal care, Optimal breastfeeding and Complementary feeding.
Mobilizing the PRI members for nutrition will help in achieving the desired outcomes for which POSHAN Panchayats have been planned this year at the GP levelin convergence with the Department of PR &DW. This is an unique activity aimed at encouraging local engagement and support for nutrition.
Due to the pandemic situation, the focus is on re-positioning from the conventional modes of information to the digital mode. Various medium such as virtual meetings, social media, mass media and print media has been used to bring visibility to POSHAN Maah in the state.
Activities observed
At the state level, a number of activities were taken up during the month.
Webinar was held with the districts on the Rashtriya POSHAN Maah and the activities to be observed for the same. Nutrition messaging was done through Social
media and there was talk show on Doordarshan on POSHAN Maah and the importance of nutrition. Status of delivery of services done through Telemonitoring was reviewed at the state level.
Districts conducted a host lot of activities which included webinars on Rashtriya POSHAN Maah, drive for prevention of anemia and child marriage,
meeting with Department of PR & DW and Horticulture on Mo Upkari Bagicha programme. Districts also took up the drive for identification and adoption of SAM/MAM/SUW children at the blocks and AWCs. At the block level, saplings and other fruit bearing trees were distributed to AWCs for setting up of Mo Upakari Bagicha in coordination with Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Blocks took up intensive drive for prevention of anaemia and child marriage and adoption of MAM children by CDPOs & Supervisors.
Most of the activities during POSHAN Maah were implemented at the AWC level, such as
POSHAN Panchayat at the AWC level
Men streaming: Engaging with men for nutrition on Suposhan Diwas
Fixed day distribution of THR to the beneficiaries at AWCs
Home visits by AWWs for identification of SAM children
Referral of sick SAM to NRC, Management of non-sick SAM in the
community.
Adoption of SUW children by AWWs
Planting of saplings and other fruit bearing trees in the kitchen gardens set up at
AWCs for setting up of Mo Upakari Bagicha.
POSHAN Mela: Food exhibition at AWCs, Counselling of pregnant women
and nursing mothers
Fixed day mixing of ingredients of THR at SHGs(23rd Sept,20)
IYCF and WASH(hand washing) sessions by AWWs in the community
Observation of designated days: Mamata Diwas, Fixed immunization day, Ankur Diwas, Annaprashan Diwas, Saadakhia, Suposhan Diwas IFA distribution
All activities at the state, district , project and AWC level were conducted following the COVID protocols.
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