Ensuring a healthy new life and childhood through 1000 days approach.

India carries a huge burden of malnutrition with about 1.08 million children dying even before their fifth birthday. The underlying cause of these deaths is acute malnutrition as children suffering from low immunity are unable to fight even the smallest of infections. Seven million children each year are born with a weight of less than 2.5kg, which is strongly linked to the nutritional status of women: 33 % of married women from 15 to 49 years of age are too thin for their height and 55% of the same group has some form of anaemia.

This is a massive challenge to India’s economic growth and development and requires immediate attention.

The first 1000 days of a child’s life (from pregnancy until their second birthday) have a profound impact on the ability to grow, learn and thrive – and a lasting effect on a community’s health and prosperity. This provides us with a unique opportunity to improve their nutritional status and build happier and healthier futures. The program will focus on this approach of the first 1000 days of life where pregnant and lactating women and children up to two years of age will be supported through government and social platforms. It will include the delivery of ongoing and integrated health care and nutrition services for women and children throughout the life cycle from pre-pregnancy through childbirth, the immediate postnatal period and early childhood.

It is imperative that health care and nutrition interventions can be seen as part of a continuum over time so that they may mutually reinforce each other. Planned interventions are focused towards improving awareness and access to:

§ Maternal care services (health and nutrition services including ANC, PNC and obstetric care)

§ Neonatal care services (healthcare and IYCF) and

§ Timely diagnosis and treatment of Acute Malnutrition

§ Community participation as a cornerstone

Action Against Hunger has touched close to 0.13 million lives and has reached out to over 149,000 children <5 years of age. They have treated 23,000 malnourished children through Outpatient Therapeutic Centers and referrals to Government Treatment Centers; conducted over 47555 community information and discussion sessions; trained over 5358 Government frontline workers.