AMPATI: As part of the nationwide celebration of POSHAN Maah or National Nutrition Month, various activities are being conducted in South West Garo Hills throughout the month to spread the message of nutrition to all households across the district.
Taking the lead to ensure synchronization of activities during the month, South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ramkumar S held a review meeting in his office chamber with the officials of ICDS, Health & Family Welfare and Education departments on Thursday.
Reviewing the activities, he urged upon the line departments to focus on activities to create awareness on the importance of nutrition for the socio-economic development of the society as a whole. He also emphasised on the convergence of activities in co-ordination with NIC and concerned line departments to ensure that there is no communication gap.
Education officials including the DSEO, SDSEO and BMCs were also asked to monitor the administration of Iron Folic tablets to school children every Monday after Mid Day Meal is served.
It may be mentioned that National Nutrition Mission or POSHAN Abhiyan was launched by the Prime Minister earlier in March and the month of September is being observed as Poshan Maah or Nutrition Month. The mission aims to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia among children, women and adolescent girls and reduce low birth weight. The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022.
As part of the activities, a nutrition rally was held at Garobadha on Wednesday, while a similar rally will be held at Mahendraganj on Friday.
A cycle rally will also be held on Wednesday. Street plays are being conducted at various market places, besides community-based events and cleaning drives across the district including village level activities at all Anganwadi centres.
On the part of Health department, the DCPCs along with the ANMs will visit schools in the respective areas and conduct nutrition screenings and demonstrations on hand washing techniques among others.
