To counter the limitations of the nutritional rehabilitation centre run by district health department which had capacity to intake only 10 children, the new initiative undertaken by department of health of running mobile nutritional rehabilitation centres is proving much better. Notably, the Haridwar district has about 1850 severe and acute malnourished (SAM) children as per the latest survey.
Speaking to The Pioneer, city development officer Sonika said, “There is collective contribution by department of Health, Integrated Child Development Services and corporate partners who contribute under corporate social responsibility towards mobile centres. There are three mobile nutritional rehabilitation centres in Haridwar supported by various companies.”
Discussing the need of the mobile centres, Sonika said, “Mothers in rural areas have tendency to leave NRC treatment of their children in between because they find it difficult to leave their family alone. So we thought of making mobile centres which can reach them where they are.”
Ambuja Foundation is one such company which trained mobile NRC team at its training institute, provided ambulance, counseling material recently. It is operational in Chauli, Khubbanpur and Sikenderpur villages of Bhagwanpur block.
Speaking about the prospective mobile NRCs, the official added, “Anchor company will be supporting an ambulance, cost of hiring doctor and dietician, cost of eggs to cover about 550 SAM children in Bahadrabad and laksar blocks of the district. This Mobile NRC is expected to roll out in April 2016. One mobile NRC has been sanctioned under Ghaad Vikas Parishad. It will cover about 35 children in Ghaad area for six months intervention.”
A standard operating procedure has been laid for the functioning of the mobile nutritional rehabilitation centre. There is thus no chance of missing at any level of implementation, says the district programme officer Mohit Choudhary. The team includes two supervisors of Integrated Child Development Services, local Anganwadi worker, ASHA worker, ANM and a dietician.
Under this rehabilitation scheme, the child is weighed by ICDS supervisor and causes of change in weight and their significant parameters are discussed with family members of the malnutrition-hit child. Anganwadi worker gives a demonstration on how to prepare hot meal suitable to SAM children. Mother is explained the benefit of mixing vegetables, pulses and cereals while preparing feed. Quantity of food per feed as per age, frequency of feed is discussed with family members with separate and clean bowl, spoon and glass for each child being stressed.