Jharkhand State Nutrition Mission (JSNM) Director General, Rajeshwari B, on Wednesday, has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioners of five districts of the State and directed them to prepare a Panchayat and Block wise action plan from July 15 to July 31 to hold check-up camps of children and women with suspected malnutrition and anaemia. A special campaign should be launched for the same in Latehar, Chatra, West Singhbhum, Simdega and Sahibganj
Rajeshwari B has written in the letter that on July 5 review was done on the progress of summer campaign and in the course of review it was found that about 20, 492 are suspected cases of malnutrition and anaemia in the State, out of which only 641 have been tested at Anganwadi centers so far.
The Director General said that a total of 19,851 suspected cases of malnutrition and anemia are to be investigated and necessary cooperation should be taken to make this special campaign program a success. She said that the list of all the cases of malnutrition and anaemia is available in the SAAMAR App at the Anganwadi centers which will be filled during the investigation of malnutrition and anemia. “The Anganwadi Sevika will ensure that the information of the severely malnourished child already identified in the Nutrition Tracker is compiled in the SAAMAR APP and in the presence of the ANM every day at the Anganwadi Village Level Malnutrition (Weight) in all suspected cases. Height, height, medical examination, appetite test) and anemia test will be ensured,” she added.
Rajeshwari said that the District Social Welfare Officer will have to ensure that all the equipment of the Anganwadi Center are 100 per cent functional and the Civil Surgeon will ensure that all the nine medicines are available with all the digital haemoglobin meters available. ANMs who have been involved in this program are trained in how the medicine is to be given, she added. She also gave clear instructions that the daily progress report will be compiled on the Summer Dash Board and every week a meeting will be held under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner to review the situation. If any problem arises in the information, contact will be established with the State Nutrition Mission and after the special campaign a study report will be prepared which will be shared with all the departments.
“Treatment of children with severe malnutrition (SAM) from 6 months to 5 years, who do not have any medical disease and the child is passed in the test of hunger, for at least 4 months in the Community Based Management Anganwadi Center (SAM). This will be done step 11,” said Rajeshwari.