Rashtriya Poshan Maah is celebrated in India every September to raise awareness about nutrition and healthcare. Initiated by the Indian government in 2018, this year marks the 7th anniversary of the campaign. Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 was launched on August 31 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The theme for this year includes anemia, growth monitoring, complementary feeding, and the initiative "Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi," as well as technology for better governance. Additionally, the campaign emphasizes environmental sustainability through "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam," which promotes plantation across the country.
One of the key focus areas, namely Technology for Better Governance, has encouraged the designated functionaries of WCD to mark more than 10 lakh activities that aim to help in effective implementation and monitoring of nutrition indicators and programmatic areas at large, linked to the ICT application Poshan TrackerMinistry
So far, 1.37 crore activities have been reported from 752 districts across 35 states and Union Territories. The top contributors are Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Activities related to anemia have reached 39 lakh, growth monitoring 27 lakh, complementary feeding 18.5 lakh, and "Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi" 8 lakh. Notably, technology for better governance has prompted the Women and Child Development (WCD) department to organise over 10 lakh activities, facilitating the implementation and monitoring of nutrition indicators linked to ICT applications and Poshan Trackers.
This campaign has successfully united various ministries and departments, reflecting the core of Jan Andolan (people’s movement) since its inception in 2018. Key contributors include the Ministry of Education with 1.38 lakh activities, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with 1.17 lakh activities, the Ministry of Rural Development with 1.07 lakh activities, the Ministry of Ayush with 69 thousand activities, and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj with 64 lakh activities. All these ministries and departments are actively engaged in different aspects of Poshan Maah.
In addition to the activities outlined for each thematic area, States and Union Territories are encouraged to undertake other sensitization initiatives tailored to their local contexts. The most commonly reported activities include:
Anemia camps for children and adolescent girls (ages 14-18).
Sensitization sessions on growth monitoring and verification.
Anemia camps for women of reproductive age.
Growth measurement drives for screening severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
Camps focused on safe, adequate, and appropriate complementary feeding at 6 months.
Anemia outreach activities in urban slums.
Demonstrations of complementary food recipes using local ingredients.
Outreach activities through Self-Help Groups (SHGs), National Service Scheme (NSS), and Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) focused on anemia.
Awareness camps promoting dietary diversity in complementary feeding.
Shiksha Choupal events to support Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) learning corners at Anganwadi Centers (AWCs).
"Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiatives, involving plantation drives and environmental protection pledges.
Demonstrations for children and parents on play-based learning with indigenous toys.
Growth measurement drives in urban slums for SAM and MAM screening.
TOYathon workshops for DIY and indigenous toy making with Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
Community events promoting toy-based and play-based learning.
Measurement drives to track weight gain in pregnant women and record data in the Poshan Tracker.
Food resource mapping at AWCs to showcase available local foods.
Outreach activities on environmental protection featuring relevant experts.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah continues to make significant strides in improving nutrition and healthcare across India. With the collaborative efforts of various ministries, departments, and local communities, the campaign is effectively addressing issues such as anemia, growth monitoring, and complementary feeding while promoting environmental sustainability. The use of technology for better governance is enhancing the efficiency of the program, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tackling malnutrition and health concerns.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)