CM assures to reduce infant, maternal mortality rates
SHILLONG/TURA/NONGPOH/NONGSTOIN/MAWKYRWAT/JOWAI: The Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2019 was launched by Kyrmen Shylla, Minister of Social Welfare at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong on Monday.
The programme was also attended by T. Dkhar, Commissioner and Secretary, Social Welfare, E. Kharmalki, Director, Social Welfare, M. War Nongbri, Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, officials from line departments, health workers, teachers, schools and colleges students among others.
The programme was organised by the Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with the East Khasi Hills district administration. The theme for the month long celebration is “every household a celebration of nutrition and behavioral change”.
In his inaugural address, Shylla said that Poshan Abhiyaan is India’s flagship programme launched by the Prime Minister in March 2018 to improve nutritional outcomes of children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The minister stressed the importance of breast feeding for the first six months of the babies for the proper mental and physical development of the child.
Informing that Poshan Abhiyaan is a convergence mission of all line departments working together to achieve the objectives and to take the message to the community, the minister instructed all deputy commissioners to review the weekly activities in their respective districts for the success of Poshan Abhiyaan.
Earlier, Shylla released the Rashtriya Poshan Maah pamphlet for the month of September.
During the programme, L. M. Pdah, Director of Health Services, MCH & FW spoke on the importance of 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s 2nd birthday, while Gary Nengnong, State Consultant, Poshan Abhiyaan gave an overview of the Poshan Maah.
The chief guest also flagged off the Poshan Maah rally which started and culminated on the premises U Soso Tham Auditorium, State Central Library.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday launched the Poshan Abhiyan at SMELC Conference Hall, Dakopgre in Tura.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister informed that during the recent meeting with the Union Minister, Smriti Irani, it was learnt that the health indicators with regard to the health of mothers and children in the state are comparatively low.
Different departments comprising Health and Family welfare, Education, PHE, Social welfare provide different services like medical facilities, education, drinking water and sanitation facilities, nutrition to the people respectively, but the status of health of both women and children have not improved as expected and therefore, he urged all departments to participate with commitment so that the programme is implemented successfully in the district and reaches to all the people in the region. Further, stating that it is a month-long programme, he said that this should not be stopped after the end of the month but the process should continue so that health of mothers and children improve.
Sangma informed that the reports submitted by the Anganwadi helper and ASHAs could not be uploaded on MIS since they do not have Aadhar card and even though they are working in their respective fields the reports have been shown as zero in the MIS portal.
Referring to the pilot project implemented in South West Garo Hills district to monitor the pregnant mothers and status of immunisation of children, the chief minister said that the App would enable everyone involved in the programme to find out the number of pregnant mothers in the district, their expected date of delivery and immunisation status from the portal and that the institutional deliveries in the district have increased from 40 per cent to 80 per cent.
Moreover, he also informed that apart from allocating various rural infrastructure and manpower in the district, the state government is trying its best to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate and MMR in the district and also announced that several programmes to clean the towns thereby ensuring zero littering and plastic-free and using of re-useable or cloth bags will be launched in the coming days.
Later, the chief minister and other dignitaries inaugurated the Poshan Mela.
Williamnagar MLA and the Government Chief Whip, Marcuise N Marak, launched the Poshan Maah in East Garo Hills district and inaugurated the newly constructed Model Anganwadi Centre (MAC) at Upper Baija locality of Williamnagar, under Samanda C&RD Block, in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Swapnil Tembe, the district officials, local leaders and the Nokmas.
Speaking on the occasion, Marak highlighted the objectives of Poshan Abhiyan and Poshan Maah and urged the parents to pay attention towards the nutritional needs of the growing children.
While talking about the newly constructed MAC, he lauded the Deputy Commissioner for his initiatives and expressed his gratitude to his ageing mother, Preeti Tembe, who had contributed generously in terms of solar lights, rain water harvesting structure, wall paintings and toys for the cause of the growing children of the region and urged the people of the area to take necessary steps to keep the MAC functional.
Speaking about the Poshan Maah, the DC sought the cooperation and support of the people in providing nutritional needs of the children, lactating mothers and pregnant women.
In the East Jaintia Hills District, Deputy Commissioner F.M. Dopth launched the Poshan Maah at Byndihati Secondary School.
A similar programme was also organised by the Child Development Project Officer, Saipung ICDS, in district’s Jalaphet Brisumer where S. Marwein, BDO Saipung C&RD Block launched the Poshan Maah. Poshan Rally and Poshan Mela were also conducted during the programme exhibiting healthy nutritious food products.
Meanwhile, in Ri Bhoi District, the Deputy Commissioner launched the Rashtriya Poshan Maah.
Deputy Commissioner R.M Kurbah launched the programme in the presence of ADCs D.P Kharsati MCS, B.J Kharshandi MCS, D. Phawa MCS, M.Mawrie DM&HO, EACs, and others.
Addressing the gathering, the DC said that it is the duty and responsibility of all to fight against any problem in the society. “We need a holistic cooperation and participation of village elders, government departments, social organisations and others to take the programme ahead in the district,” he said.
While speaking on the rise of child death rate in the district, she said that delivering at home is one of the reasons, hence she encouraged pregnant women to deliver their babies in hospital for the safety of both mother and the child.
In West Khasi Hills, Deputy Commissioner T. Lyngwa launched the Poshan Maah in the presence of SP B.J Laloo, A.V.D Shira ADC, C.P Mawkon EAC, district heads, ASHAs, aganwadi workers, teachers and students at the Conference Hall DC office Nongstoin.
South West Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo launched the Rastriya Poshan Maah in a programme organised by Child Development Officer, Mawkyrwat at Mawkyrwat Hall in which ANM, Anganwadi workers and helpers and ASHA workers of Mawkyrwat area were present.
Laloo said that the POSHAN award which was awarded to the district was due to the hard work of all departments involved and therefore she encouraged the Anganwadi workers to help those who are in need of medical check up, immunisation, proper nutrition or balanced diet and proper care for children.
Meanwhile, in West Jaintia Hills, the National Scheme was launched by Jowai local MLA, Wailadmiki Shylla with a rally which was flagged from Tpep Pale Hall Jowai via Iamusiang, Mission Compound back to the Community Hall in which officers of the related department were the speakers.