Action Against Hunger India in collaboration with Department of Community Medicine, HBT Medical College and Dr. R. N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital launched Poshan Outpatient Department (OPD) at the Urban Health & Training Centre (UHTC) in Andheri. The main goal of this initiative is to combat child malnutrition by implementing a treatment-based approach and ensuring proper follow-up according to the established protocol.

The OPD inauguration was graced by the distinguished presence of Dr. Shailesh Mohite, the esteemed Dean of HBT Medical College and Dr. R. N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai. The event witnessed the participation of hospital staff, as well as employees from Action Against Hunger India who worked tirelessly for this day.

This community-based OPD in our intervention area aims to provide specialized services and follow-up care to improve the nutritional status of children. The unit operates with the objective of combating child malnutrition and promoting the overall well-being of affected children. Together, we are committed to fostering a healthier nation.

Understanding the importance of POSHAN OPD:

POSHAN OPD stands for “Prevention of Malnutrition and Outpatient Department.” It is a program implemented in India to address the issue of malnutrition in children. The program focuses on providing preventive and curative services for malnourished children through specialized outpatient departments (OPDs) in various healthcare facilities.

The main objectives of the POSHAN OPD program are as follows:

1. Identification: The program aims to identify malnourished children through regular screenings and assessments conducted at healthcare centers. These screenings involve measuring weight, height, and other relevant indicators to assess the nutritional status of children.
2. Diagnosis and Treatment: Once a child is identified as malnourished, the program provides diagnosis and treatment services through specialized OPDs. The treatment includes a combination of medical interventions, nutritional counseling, and provision of therapeutic foods or supplements to address the child’s nutritional deficiencies.
3. Monitoring and Follow-up: The POSHAN OPD program emphasizes regular monitoring and follow-up of malnourished children to track their progress and ensure proper adherence to the treatment plan. This includes regular check-ups, weight monitoring, and nutritional counseling for caregivers to promote long-term recovery and sustained improvement in the child’s nutritional status.
4. Capacity Building: The program also focuses on building the capacity of healthcare professionals involved in managing malnutrition cases. This includes training healthcare providers on the identification, treatment, and prevention of malnutrition, as well as providing them with necessary tools and resources to deliver effective care.

The POSHAN OPD program is part of the broader POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission), launched by the Government of India in 2018, with the goal of reducing malnutrition and improving the nutritional status of children and women across the country. The program’s initiatives are implemented through a network of healthcare facilities, including primary health centers, community health centers, and district hospitals, with the aim of reaching children in both rural and urban areas.

In a bid to combat malnutrition and improve the nutritional status of children,  we recently launched  Kangaroo Mother Care Unit (KMC) at HBT Medical College & Dr. R. N. Cooper Mun. Gen. Hospital, Mumbai in collaboration with Cooper Hospital. The KMC unit is aimed at providing support to premature and low-birth-weight infants and their mothers.

The unit was inaugurated by Dr. Shailesh Mohite, Dean of HBT Medical College & Dr. R. N. Cooper Mun. Gen. Hospital Mumbai, and Mr. Ashwini Kakkar, Chairperson of Action Against Hunger. This pilot project has been initiated with the aim of improving the health outcomes for stable, preterm and low birth weight babies and reducing infant mortality.

Kangaroo Mother Care is a simple yet effective method of care for premature or low birth weight babies. It involves skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her baby, with the baby being held upright against the mother’s chest. The KMC method has been proven to be highly effective in reducing mortality rates, improving infant health, and promoting breastfeeding.

The KMC unit at Cooper Hospital will provide mothers and babies with a comfortable and safe environment, where they can receive the necessary care and support. The 24-hour unit will have trained nurses and doctors from Action Against Hunger India to run the unit, along with counseling sessions for the mothers and follow-up post-discharge of the mother and child. 

Through this initiative, Action Against Hunger India aims to contribute towards reducing the burden of malnutrition and infant mortality in India. The organization plans to continue working towards improving the health and well-being of mothers and children across the country.

Action Against Hunger India organized a day long consultation in Jaipur to discuss and analyze policy options on the issues of malnutrition in Rajasthan. The discussion was attended by various representatives from government department, development organizations, and Panchayati Raj representatives. The consultation was addressed by Mr. Naveen Jain, Secretary Panchayati Raj Department and Mr. Ramavtar Meena, Director ICDS Rajasthan.

The state level consultation discussed in detail the ways to improve child malnutrition and maternal health in Rajasthan. While welcoming the guests, Action Against Hunger India’s CEO Mr. Vinay Iyer said, that ‘this consultation will serve as a platform for development partners and agencies to come together and deliberate on the strategies to address child malnutrition in Rajasthan.’ He also emphasized on having an open and honest dialogue on the issue of child malnutrition in the state and at the national level.

Addressing the consultation, Mr. Naveen Jain, Secretary Panchayati Raj highlighted various issues related to nutrition sensitive programming and localization of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). He said that in Rajasthan there is a conducive environment that can help defeat severe malnutrition in a time-bound manner. He highlighted the learning and success of Naya Savera project being implemented in Baran district of Rajasthan and emphasized that the project must be replicated by all the district. Naya Savera project identifies severely malnourished children and links them with targeted services like Energy Dense Nutrition Supplement (EDNS) that can help severely malnourished children overcome malnutrition in a timely manner.

Mr. Ramavtar Meena, Director ICDS applauded development partners for their contribution towards maternal and child health and development. He also emphasized on the need of undertaking a holistic approach to address child malnutrition as in addition to issues like poverty and underdevelopment, other dietary, environmental, and care-seeking factors also play crucial role in determining child and maternal health. He hoped that the proposed consultation that plans to bring together partners from various departments and development agencies will compliment the government’s efforts towards eradicating child malnutrition.

Mr. Subodh Kumar Jha, EVP & Chief of Human Resources & Management Services, SBI Life Insurance, said, “While our country is facing a major malnutrition crisis amongst children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. It is extremely humbling to see our efforts invoking overwhelming support from the entire ecosystem. Senior government functionaries, development organizations, NGO partners, Panchayati Raj representatives, corporate India, every stakeholder has converged for solving the very real problem of malnutrition in the country. We sincerely hope that such progressive efforts can catalyse change to make the nation realise its dream of a malnourishment-free India by 2030.”

He further added, ” We are glad to have received this opportunity through our CSR Partner, Action Against Hunger (AAH) to concentrate our efforts towards the larger cause. As by eradicating malnourishment we can truly liberate individuals to pursue their dreams and aspirations, by enabling every child to develop to their full potential.

Other than the senior government officials and department representatives, various development organizations such as UNICEF, Aravali, IPE Global, ActionAid, Evidence Action, Mamta, Piramal Swasthya, KPMG, The Hunger Project, and others also participated and shared their learning during the consultation. It was reiterated that sarpanches have a larger role to play in ensuring that not even a single child remains malnourished. The participants also talked about ways to strengthen village level planning, using Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) to strengthen nutrition services, as well as supporting various village level bodies like VHNDs, VCDCs, and VHCs, etc.

Action Against Hunger pushed for the various needs identified during their program implementation including the availability of functional anthropometric equipment at Anganwadi Centers, sensitization the community on the consumption of Take-Home Ration (THR), and involving communities as key stakeholders in eradicating malnutrition.

Champions for Change: Mary Kom & Rani Rampal Collaborate with Action Against Hunger India to promote health and well-being among women and children in India

Mumbai : May 30, 2023 – Action Against Hunger India has collaborated with Indian sports icon, MC Mary Kom, London 2012 Olympics Bronze Medalist & Former Hockey Captain Rani Rampal to promote the overall health and well-being of women and children in India. The collaboration will contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 of Zero Hunger by 2030, which aims to eradicate hunger and malnutrition worldwide. The collaboration will focus on creating a positive impact on the lives of countless women and children through creating awareness on these issues and promoting solutions.

According to the recent statistics, malnutrition remains a major public health problem in India, affecting millions of children under the age of five and girls and women. Despite India successfully curbing the issue of hunger and making significant progress in reducing wasting among children in the past few decades, much work still needs to be done to knock-out the issues impeding India’s growth story.

Announcing the collaboration, Vinay Iyer, the Chief Executive Officer of Action Against Hunger India said, “We are grateful to have the support of Mrs. MC Mary Kom the very best example of what women can achieve when given equal opportunities. As we work towards building a healthy India by eradicating the menace of malnutrition among children and mothers and world is nearing the deadline to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we need to have a strategy to counter undernutrition effectively.

To ensure a healthier and brighter future for all children in our country, it is crucial to prioritize and address the critical issues causing undernourishment. By taking decisive action to tackle these issues, we can help our children fully realize their potential and pave the way for achieving the ambitious goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

MC Mary Kom & Rani Rampal, prominent champions of social causes, have joined forces to promote the importance of healthy living for the betterment of society in the past also. In partnering  with Action Against Hunger India they aim to encourage action against malnutrition.

“Ensuring a healthy and bright future for our children should be our first priority’”, said MC Mary Kom. “I believe that we all have a responsibility to help our disadvantaged children and their parents to ensure that our children have access to opportunities and level-playing field. I am excited to be working with Action Against Hunger India to make a difference in the lives of these children.”

Expressing her excitement about the partnership, Rani Rampal said, “I am truly honored to join forces with Action Against Hunger. As an athlete, I understand the significance of proper nutrition in achieving optimal performance and realizing one’s potential. It is disheartening to witness the devastating impact of hunger and malnutrition on millions of lives, particularly among children. Through this association, I aim to contribute towards a world where every individual has access to nutritious food and the opportunity to thrive.”

 About Action Against Hunger India  

At Action Against Hunger, we drive change from the ground up, to make this world free from hunger.

Since inception in 1979, we have led the global fight against hunger. Our work impact more than 26 million lives every year, through a network of 8000 humanitarian professionals across 50 countries. In India, our operations from the grassroots upwards, are focused on taking decisive action against the causes and effects of malnutrition. We equip people with knowledge and awareness, so they can see their children grow up strong, and for whole communities to prosper.

Our programs cover 1265 villages across four states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat with a multidisciplinary approach to tackle malnutrition among children.

With our First 1000 Days plus of life model, which is based on preventative care, we aim to break the cycle of malnutrition during pregnancy and in the early years of a child’s life. As a whole, our interventions aim to improve access to knowledge on food security and ways to combat malnutrition, health and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

To know more about us, visit www.actionagainsthunger.in

For further information contact:

Melwyn Sequeira

Director – Resource Mobilisation & Communications

msequeira@actionagainsthunger.in

Rhea Mathews

Manager – Communications

rmathews@actionagainsthunger.in