Chandigarh: “The Poshan Abhiyan is being implemented by the Punjab Government in order to address the issue of Malnutrition so as to create a healthy and robust Punjab as envisioned by the Chief Minister, Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh under ‘Mission Tandarust Punjab’. Furthermore, under the able guidance of the Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister, Punjab, Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary, the Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. The Seven districts of Punjab Namely Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Mansa, Faridkot , Tarantaran , Moga and Sri Muktsar Sahib are covered under Poshan Abhiyan with a plan to cover the whole state also in the offing.”
Disclosing this here today during a one-day State Level Orientation Workshop was organised at Punjab State Health System Corporation Phase 6 Mohali, Mr. K.B.S. Sidhu, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Social Security Women and Child Development, Punjab, stressed upon the objectives, components and the targets of Poshan Abhiyan and its inclusion in the schemes of all the line departments so that the message of Poshan Abhiyan can be reached out to the masses. He said that this ‘Abhiyan’ needs to be turned into a people’s movement with echo at the National level. Mr. Sidhu enumerated the key nutritional strategies and interventions to address the issue of Malnutrition such as IYCF (Infant Young Child Feeding), Food and Nutrition, Immunisation, Institutional Deliveries etc. A pledge was administered to all on the occasion by Mr. K.B.S. Sidhu to maintain clean and green environment and spread awareness regarding healthy living.
Focussing on the nutritional aspect, Mrs. Kavita Singh emphasized that the prime need is to minutely monitor the children from rural areas in the anganwadi centres till they attain the age of 6 years for it is these formative years which are of primary significance in the growth of a child. She further added that the first 1000 days from the birth of a child assume great importance because the right kind of nutrition initially in the form of breast feeding for first few months plays a key role in the physical and psychological development of a child.
She appealed to the audience to focus on eating healthy and eating right as only a healthy generation could create a healthy and prosperous State and stressed that the Anganwadi workers, ASHA, ANMs and field functionaries of other departments should coordinate and actively participate in generating awareness as well as provision of basic services shall as water supply, sanitation, immunisation, supplementary nutrition etc.
On the occasion the representatives of health, water supply and rural development departments briefed about the activities to be performed under Poshan Abhiyan and Rashtriya Poshan Maah by their respective departments.
