To improve the conditions of the severe and acute malnutritioned (SAM) children the district health department has adopted direct intervention and multi-sector linkage approach, hence, linking various Government departments which has resulted in reduction in the number of such children. To mobilize this new initiative the child development programme officer will herself visit the houses of SAM children and review their conditions. Notably the Haridwar district had about 1,850 severe and acute malnourished (SAM) children as per the survey conducted in March this year and by August the number has come down further to 793 but still lot needs to be done.
Not getting fruitful results with all the set up and laid down procedures, the child development and women empowerment department has expressed concern and directed the official to visit the SAM children personally and not just rely on the supervisors who are assigned the task.
Speaking to The Pioneer, child development programme officer, Sonika said, “During our team visit, I shall personally meet the family of the SAM children and give directions on cleanliness and sanitation in surroundings as well as to maintain personal hygiene. The parents of the SAM children shall be guided on different water and air-borne viral diseases and their spread. Also the benefits of family planning will be discussed with the women.”
A standard operating procedure had been laid for the functioning of the mobile nutritional rehabilitation centre formed six months ago in which the team including two supervisors of Integrated Child Development Services, local Anganwadi worker, ASHA worker, ANM and a dietitian was given responsibility for regular review of condition of SAM children. Under Corporate Social Responsibility, Anchor company of SIIDCUl industrial area had provided two ambulances with the staff.
The District Program officer Mohit Chaudhary in the department of child development said, “The need of the hour if to make the family members of the SAM children aware about this problem. Analysing the problem why the children are malnutritioned, the ways to counter can be suggested. There are multiple reasons of poor health among children whether it is contaminated water, lack of sanitation facilities, extreme poverty or negligence.”
Based on the findings, the CDPO writes to Chief medical officer or employment office for the necessary action. If cleanliness is the issue in the region, Nagar Nigam is sent an intimation to act, thus multi sector linkages help resolve the issue related to the concerned family of malnutrition child.