India faces significant challenges in ensuring adequate nutrition, especially for women and children. Malnutrition, stunted growth, and inadequate maternal care persist as critical issues. Even though India’s economy has grown by 50% since 2013, over one-third of the world’s malnourished children live in India. Out of these, half of the children under three years old are not weighing enough for their age. Recognizing this, initiatives like the POSHAN Abhiyan- Nutrition for All have been introduced by the government to address these concerns comprehensively.
POSHAN Abhiyan: A Holistic Approach to Nutrition
POSHAN Abhiyan, also known as the National Nutrition Mission, is a flagship program by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, aiming to improve nutritional outcomes for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children. Launched in 2018, it operates under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, emphasising the first 1,000 days of a child’s life as crucial for optimal development.
Anganwadis: The Frontline of Nutrition
The Anganwadi program in India has been a cornerstone of the country’s efforts to address maternal and child health, early childhood care, and nutrition. The term “Anganwadi” translates to “courtyard shelter” in English, reflecting its initial purpose of being a community centre. These centres play a crucial role in rural and urban areas, particularly for marginalised communities. In 2018, post the launch of POSHAN Abhiyan, the Anganwadi system played a central role in the mission’s implementation. The initiative aimed to address malnutrition comprehensively, focusing on the initial years of a child’s life through:
- Community Engagement: The role of Anganwadis extended beyond service delivery to fostering community engagement. Empowering communities with knowledge about health, nutrition, and childcare practices became a key focus.
- Digital Transformation: Post-2018, there was an increased emphasis on leveraging technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Anganwadi services. The introduction of digital platforms, like the Poshan Tracker, aimed at real-time monitoring and reporting, contributed to better data-driven decision-making.
Poshan Tracker
Poshan Tracker is another significant medium designed to help the Anganwadi Didis to create impact. After the Portion Tracker started working in India, it was discovered that out of 75 million children who were checked using WHO standards, the numbers for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) decreased by 12%. This is a significant improvement in the nutrition situation in India with features like:
- It supports 12 languages for user convenience.
- It has specific grids for Pregnant Women, Lactating Women, Children, Adolescent Girls, and Boys.
- Allows Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) to enter and update details of beneficiaries, including nutritional information.
- Monitors daily activities, attendance, health and nutrition data, and overall centre performance.
- Includes a section to add and manage details of orphan children.
- Checklists to assess and report on Anganwadi Centre status and compliance.
- Captures data related to Anganwadi Centre infrastructure.
- Enables AWWs to provide feedback on training received from Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
- Aids in training AWWs on various modules and sections of the app.
- Allows AWWs to rate and provide feedback on the training received.
- Monitors growth, vaccination, and other essential parameters for beneficiaries.
Challenges and Evolving Strategies:
Despite progress, challenges such as infrastructure limitations, manpower shortages, and ensuring the quality of services persisted. The government continued to evolve strategies to address these challenges, including capacity building for Anganwadi workers, enhanced coordination with healthcare services, making the children understand the importance of nutrition and community mobilisation.
Poshan Se Padhai Tak Initiative: An Educational Approach
The “Poshan Se Padhai Tak” initiative launched by the Ministry of Women & Child Development by the visionary leader Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, under Poshan 2.0, embodies a holistic approach to child development by intertwining nutrition with education. Recognizing the symbiotic relationship between nourishment and academic success, the initiative leverages technology for efficient monitoring while integrating education with nutrition. By prioritizing the well-being of women and children, it endeavours to lay the foundation for a healthier and more prosperous future for the nation. The launch of the “Poshan Utsav Book,” curated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with the Deendayal Research Institute, represents a significant stride in this endeavour. This comprehensive resource seeks to revive ancient nutrition traditions, fostering intergenerational learning and celebrating India’s rich culinary heritage and nutritional diversity.
In addition to the Poshan Utsav Book, the initiative also introduced the Cartoon Coalition, a creative collaboration between popular cartoon entities in India. Characters like Shambhu, Supandi, Chacha Choudhary, Elmo, Chamki, and others came together to convey essential messages on nutrition in an entertaining and relatable manner. This innovative approach aims to make nutrition education engaging, particularly for children, thereby contributing to positive behavioral changes regarding nutrition. As these initiatives unfold, Anganwadis emerge as vital hubs for their implementation, reaffirming a collective commitment to combat malnutrition and promote holistic health practices among children and women.
The Poshan Se Padhai Tak Initiative stands as a beacon of progress, emphasising that a well-nourished nation begins with empowering communities at the grassroots level. Join the nutrition revolution & be part of building a healthier, happier India.