Procter & Gamble Health Limited announced on Wednesday a three-year partnership with Tata Trusts for Yes To Poshan, a new program that aims to improve the nutritional status of women and children in Krishna District as part of its flagship corporate social responsibility initiative Sehat (means health).
The new initiative will focus on action to effectively tackle malnutrition, a complex public health issue that affects generations.
According to the 2019 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) -5, 16 out of 22 states surveyed reported an increase in the number of children under the age of five who are underweight and heavily wasted (low weight for height). In Andhra Pradesh alone, of all women between the ages of 15 and 49, 58.8% were anemic and 14.8% had a low body mass index (BMI), which underscores the need for targeted interventions in the region. The Poshan Abhiyan aims to reduce stunted growth, malnutrition and low birth weight in children, as well as anemia in women and children.
The program is run in five villages in Krishna District and interventions include surveys, growth monitoring and a holistic behavior change campaign to encourage the inclusion of different food groups in their diet and encourage the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in the backyard. These activities take the form of human or personal interactions, small group and community discussions and also encourage male participation.
The program will also facilitate capacity building for Anganwadi workers and Poshan Sakhis to conduct home visits and community-level meetings in their village. The Poshan Sakhis will assist frontline workers in identifying children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) to ensure timely referral to malnutrition treatment centers.
“We are pleased to be working with Tata Trusts on this grass-roots behavior change program that aims to complement government efforts by promoting nutritional diversity and addressing the challenges of restricted or age-inappropriate nutrition in pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and.” Children are concerned. “Less than two years,” said Procter & Gamble Health Limited CEO Milind Thatte.
Rajan Sankar, Senior Advisor, Nutrition, Tata Trusts, said the malnutrition problem requires concerted action by different sectors, stakeholders and like-minded organizations, and a combination of factors such as access to fortified food, better public health care, clean water and authentic education.