Chandigarh: The Haryana government Saturday (August 19) said it would introduce a spirulina-based product to combat malnutrition in children with a six-month pilot project planned in Nuh district. Spirulina, an algae that grows in both freshwater and saltwater, is rich in nutrients and possesses antioxidant properties, according to an official release. A study conducted by the Institute of Health Management and Research (IHMR), Bengaluru, demonstrated a reduction in malnutrition by administering spirulina to children for six months, it said.
Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, after presiding over the fifth meeting of the state convergence committee under POSHAN Abhiyaan here, said three nutrition-rich programmes will be implemented across all blocks of the aspirational district Nuh.
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These programmes aim to alleviate malnutrition and anaemia among children and women. Nutritional support in the form of ready-to-eat food items, nutritional packets, and antioxidant-rich foods will be provided to children and women in all blocks of Nuh district, he said.
The women and child development department will provide ‘aurthonut’ (peanut mix) under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to severe acute malnourished and moderate acute malnourished children on a pilot basis in Nuh district.
He said the development would introduce a pictorial card game called “Poshan ki Potli” to raise awareness about the nutritional value and benefits of different food items.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
