Campaign to combat child malnutrition

Chandigarh, August 18

Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal today said that the state government would launch a special campaign aimed at improving the health of malnourished children through the Women and Child Development Department.

Nutrition drive at Nuh district

Three nutrition-rich programmes would be implemented across all blocks of the aspirational district Nuh under Nutrition Campaign-2.

He said the initiative would focus on addressing factors such as underweight and stunted growth that impact the lives of children from birth to six years of age. The goal was to overcome these factors by 2026 and promote the overall health of children and women.

Presiding over a meeting of the State Convergence Committee under POSHAN Abhiyaan, he directed the CEOs of zila parishads to prioritise the rectification of minor deficiencies in anganwadi centres by involving gram panchayats. He also stressed the importance of conducting a survey to gauge the extent of improvement in malnutrition and anaemia among women and children.

He called for presenting meaningful results of the government’s six-month nutrition campaign to identify shortcomings and enhance its effectiveness. He recommended forming a dedicated team to execute this survey campaign.

The government would introduce a spirulina-based product under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) on a pilot basis in Mewat for six months. Spirulina, an algae that grows in fresh or saltwater, is rich in nutrients and possesses antioxidant properties.