Creation of the State Nutrition Mission (SNM) is itself a huge step to check malnutrition in Jharkhand, however, there is need to build positive environment taking along all the stakeholders of the mission to win the decisive battle, felt experts in a Round Table discussion on the issues around malnutrition in Jharkhand organised by the State Nutrition Mission here on Friday.
Discussing the issues experts from various fields observed that a multi-sectoral approach, involving the decision makers in the Government, implementing agencies, grass-root workers and common citizens should be adopted to drive away the malady from the State. It was also the need of the hour to make use the fruits of information technology in the process, they said.
Veteran journalist and political commentator Neerja Chowdhury, Secretary of Vikas Bharti Padma Shri Ashok Bhagat, DG of SNM Mridula Sinha, Principal Secretary of Woman and Child Development and Social Welfare MS Bhatia, UNICEF Jharkhand Chief Madhulika Jonathan, Senior Journalist and Rajya Sabha MP Harivansh, World Bank professional Mathew Morton, Chief of Child Development and Nutrition, India, UNICEF Saba Mebrahtu alongwith others participated in the discussion.
While sharing the vision, objective, strategies and action plan of the SNM Director General Mridula Sinha stressed on the need of adopting a multi-sectoral and multi-departmental approach. Vikas Bharti Secretary Ashok Bhagat endorsed the views of Sinha and said that there was increasing need to involve the Panchayati Raj institutions in the work to get better results at the grass-root level. Dr Saba Mebrahtu of UNICEF, India said that the focus in Jharkhand should be more on complementary nutrition as a sizeable percentage of kids remain undernourished after the age of six months. Presenting various statistics she also said that more resource allocation was needed to curb malnutrition.
Taking the discussion further in the third session Mathew Morton, a young Professional of the World Bank, said that it was not possible for a nation to have a competitive economy without ensuring proper nutrition and health to its citizens. He also gave examples of how the number of girls attending schools in Sabla districts has doubled in last 10 years due to steps taken for ensuring proper nutrition to them. Rajya Sabha MP and senior journalist from Jharkhand Harivansh also called for a positive environment to take the battle against malnutrition ahead. “We have to make this a political agenda and push for a huge campaign. People should know that this is their programme. MPs and MlAs should involve party workers and locals in the process to make this a success,” he said.
The MP also suggested use of technology for better monitoring of the work under the mission and said that suggestions of authorities keeping eye on Government work such as the Accountant General should be carefully followed for taking cues to improve the programme.
While delivering the concluding remarks of the discussion UNICEF, Jharkhand Chief Madhulika Jonathan elaborated on the major issues, key actions, key directions and need of convergent multi-sectoral interventions for the mission.
NSM DG Mridula Sinha called the establishment of the mission a great outcome by the Women and Child Development and Social Welfare department officials and staff alongwith other stakeholders. “We have a mission in place now. We will work with great enthusiasm and achieve the goals,” she said.