Lok Sabha Question No. 247 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Awareness Programme on SAM
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pallab Lochan Das

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 247 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

## AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON SAM

247. SHRI PALLAB LOCHAN DAS:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the initiatives undertaken by the Government for children suffering from Severe Acute Malnourishment (SAM);
- (b) the  details  of  Awareness  programme  undertaken  by  the  Government  to  raise awareness regarding Severe Acute Malnourished (SAM) children; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a)         The  Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through States/UTs to address various aspects related to nutrition. Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition are treated at the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on 8 th  March 2018 with an aim to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children under 6 years, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach.

In order to address the challenges of malnutrition, Government has taken steps to improve nutritional quality and testing, strengthen delivery and leverage technology under Poshan Tracker  to  improve  governance.  Streamlined  Guidelines were  issued  on  Quality Assurance,  Roles  and  Responsibilities  of  Duty  Holders,  procedure  for  procurement, integrating  AYUSH  concepts  and  Data  Management  and  Monitoring  for  transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition on 13.01.2021.

Government has advised States/UTs to launch a drive for identification of SAM children for referral to hospitals (if required) and AYUSH centres in accordance with the detailed action plan approved by the District Nutrition Committee, constituting of converging line Ministries, health experts etc to be finalized in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer.

The efforts under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services and POSHAN Abhiyaan have been rejuvenated and converged as 'Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0'. It seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers through a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery and by creation of a convergent eco-system to develop and promote practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity. Under Poshan 2.0, focus is on diet diversity, food  fortification,  leveraging  traditional  systems  of  knowledge  and  popularizing  use  of millets.  Nutrition  awareness  strategies  under  Poshan  2.0  aim  to  develop  sustainable health  and  well-being  through  regional  meal  plans  to  bridge  dietary  gaps.  Dietary diversification in the Anganwadi platform encourages the consumption of micronutrient rich foods, viz., dark green leafy vegetables, lentils and vitamin C rich fruits. States/UTs have been advised to use fortified foods ingredients e.g., Fortified Wheat Flour, Fortified Rice, Double Fortified Salt and Fortified Edible Oil, under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme

Further,  greater  emphasis  is  being  given  on  the  use  of  millets  for  preparation  of  Hot Cooked Meal and Take Home rations at Anganwadis for Pregnant Women, Lactating mothers and children below 6 years of age, as millets have high nutrient content which includes protein, essential fatty acid, dietary fibre, B-Vitamins, minerals such as calcium, iron,  zinc,  folic  acid  and  other micro-nutrients thus helping to tackle  anemia and other micro-nutrient  deficiencies  common  among  women  and  children.  As  per  the  Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 guidelines, millets need to be mandatorily supplied at least once a week and suitably integrated in Take Home Ration (not raw ration)  and Hot Cooked Meals in a palatable form

(b & c)     One of the major activities undertaken under POSHAN Abhiyaan is Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy leading to Jan Andolan to educate the people on nutritional  aspects.  Under  the  Abhiyaan,  a  well-researched,  designed  and  tested communication plan & IEC materials have been developed and intensive Mass Media Campaigns are conducted through various mass media channels like radio, television and social media. An important focus has therefore been on 'Behaviour Change Communication' or BCC to address inadequate and inappropriate infant and young child feeding practices, nutrition and care during pregnancy and adolescence.

Community Based Events or  CBEs  have  served  as  a  significant  strategy  in  changing nutrition practices. CBEs help to celebrate critical milestones in the life of children below two  years  of  age.  The  gatherings  serve  as  a  platform  for  disseminating  essential messages on appropriate nutrition and health behaviour. The events are organised every month at the Anganwadi centres (AWC) and primarily focus on promotion of maternal nutrition (Godh bharai) and/ or initiation of appropriate complementary feeding (Annaprasan). Around 3.70 crore Community Based Events (CBEs) have been organized since the launch of the Abhiyaan in Anganwadi Centres

Also,  through  the  use  of  Poshan  Tracker,  videos  are  disseminated,  wherein  the beneficiaries are counseled on nutrition related issues like breastfeeding, complementary feeding,  infant  and  young  childcare.  Poshan  Tracker  has  embedded  videos  related  to Infant and Young Child care and nutrition for educating the beneficiaries residing in rural, urban and tribal regions of the country.

At a national level, the Rashtriya Poshan Maah is celebrated in the month of September across the country while Poshan Pakhwada is celebrated in the month of March. Themes have  included  overall  nutrition,  hygiene,  water  and  sanitation,  anaemia  prevention, importance of breast-feeding, growth monitoring, role of Poshan Panchayats, AYUSH for Well-being,  'Back  to  Basics  -  Yoga  for  Health',  importance  of  Poshan  Vatikas  for cultivation of local vegetables, medicinal plants/herbs and fruits at the community level, Poshan ke Paanch Sutra, cycle rallies, defeat diarrhea campaigns, Nukkad Natak/Folk Shows, SHG meetings, etc. More than 50+ crore activities have been carried out under Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada across the country.

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