Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, DNH & DD

The scheme “Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0” by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, aims to provide nutritional support, improve nutritional outcomes, strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education, and address malnutrition among children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls. Through this scheme, supplementary nutrition, pre-school non-formal education, nutrition and health education, immunisation, health check-up, referral services, and nutritional support are provided to children below 6 years of age, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), and Adolescent Girls aged 14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and all districts of the North East Region. The scheme is implemented by the Central Government through policy and planning support, while the State Governments are responsible for day-to-day programme implementation.

> Types of Malnutrition:

• Wasting: Low weight for height - Stunting: Low height for age - Underweight: Low weight for age - Overweight/Obesity: Excess fat due to diet/lifestyle

> Major Causes of Malnutrition:

• Maternal Malnutrition (Underage/Underweight/Low birth weight baby)
• Inappropriate birth spacing (Multiple pregnancies)
• Lack of diet diversity, the diet lacks adequate nutrition
• The gap between two meals, meal frequency among children and having only 2-3 meals per day
• Lack of complementary feeding as per age criteria
• The mother goes to work at a factory/farm, and exclusive breastfeeding is compromised
• Lack of hygiene practice
• Inappropriate method of cooking and eating habits

> Awareness and Education:

• Poshan ke 5 Sutra: Crucial for brain development and long-term health.
• First 1000 golden days
• Nutrition-rich diet
• Anemia management
• Diarrhoea prevention
• Sanitation

1. Anganwadi Centres (AWCs):

• Total 300 AWCs in DNH, 50 in Daman & 29 in Diu.
• Timing 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM
• Children aged 3- 6 years come to AWCs
• Early learning through a play-based curriculum.
• Hygiene practices like handwashing, bathing, brushing teeth, and wearing clean clothes.
• Apart from meals provided at the Anganwadi Centre, the child should be fed 3 to 4 nutritious meals at home every day.
• Supplementary Nutrition: Take-Home Ration (THR): For children <3 years and pregnant/lactating mothers.
• Healthy Environment: Provide a safe, loving, and stimulating atmosphere that supports the child’s physical growth and mental development.
• Educate mothers and caregivers on food, hygiene, and breastfeeding.
• Immunization: Support ASHA and ANM in ensuring child vaccination.
• Growth Monitoring: Monthly tracking of height and weight.
• Health Check-ups and Referrals for each child under the Anganwadi Health Programme.

2. Pregnant Women:

• Registration at AWCs/Health Centre.
• MCP Card: Follow the schedule and monitor progress.
• ANCS: At least 3 with BP, blood, urine checks,/ Anaemia.
• IFA tablets, immunisations (Tetanus), and weight gain tracking.
• Rest, avoid heavy work, and maintain hygiene.
• Use of iodised salt.
• Weight gain during pregnancy. Weight should increase by at least 10-12 kg during Pregnancy. In the last 6 months of pregnancy, there is an increase of at least 1 kg per month.
• Timely Immunisation of Tetanus Toxoid and deworming
• Diet: Variety of nutritious food, such as locally available fresh green leafy vegetables (Methi, palak, Vada Bhaji, Moringa leaves, Cucumber, Bitter gourd, bottle gourd, etc.), fruits (Banana, Guava, Papaya, Mango, Chickoo, Jack fruit, Amla, Lemon, etc.). milk and milk products, pulses, cereals, millets, etc. Households that are non-vegetarian need to consume a source of high-quality protein, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. To consume at least 4 meals a day
• Promotion of institutional delivery.

> Activity:

• Recipe demo using locally available resources at Anganwadi Centre.
• Nutri-garden promotion at Anganwadi Centres/Households as per availability of space.
• Community-based events like God Bharai and Suposhan Diwas.

3. Lactating Mothers:

• Early breastfeeding (first within two hours of birth)/ Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.
• Complementary Feeding post 6 months.
• Start with soft, well- cooked and mashed foods like Semi-solid khichdi, Dal, Millets, Rab.
• Mashed green and yellow orange vegetables and fruits
• Maintain hygiene, continue breastfeeding
• Growth monitoring of the child every month at the Anganwadi centre/Immunisation as per the MCP Card
• In case of any health-related issues with the child, communicate with the nearest Health centre/Anganwadi worker
• Maintain hygiene at home
• Encourage hand washing before cooking meals, before feeding a child Washing vegetables and fruits before consumption.
• Take-home ration (THR) given to the mother and child should be consumed by the beneficiary only.

> Activity:

• Complementary food preparation and feeding demo
• Annaprashan Divas celebration; Suposhan Divas; Poshan Mein Sudhar.

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