Fight Child Malnutrition in Gujarat During Post COVID

In children under the age of 5, malnutrition is one of the biggest killers. The pandemic has threatened India's food security landscape across all four indicators: availability, access, stability, and utilization of resources. This further intensifies the existing problem of malnutrition that is deeply interlinked with poor access to nutritious foods and poor hygiene. Through this project, Gram Vikas Trust aims to support 1264 severely underweight children from Bharuch with supplementary nutrition and healthcare services for early detection and treatment of stunting. A contribution of ₹1,000 will provide one month's worth of nutrition ration kits for one child.

The pandemic has affected children under the age of 5 years through food shortage, resulting in malnourishment and poor hygiene. Gram Vikas Trust is seeking support to provide 1264 severely underweight children from Bharuch with supplementary nutrition and healthcare services for early detection and treatment of stunting. A contribution of INR 1,000 will provide one month's worth of nutrition ration kits for one child.

Malnutrition is one of India’s biggest killers, for children under the age of 5. Along with poor access to nutritious foods, this issue is linked to poor hygiene. One-third of the world’s ‘wasted’ children live in India, and this is rampant in rural areas, especially among scheduled tribes.

The pandemic has threatened India's food security landscape across all four indicators: availability, access, stability, and utilization of resources. It could in-turn further intensify the existing problem of malnutrition among women and children.

People often adopt coping mechanisms such as purchasing less food, substituting wholesome food with less nutritious alternatives, and decreasing the number of meals eaten on a day-to-day basis to deal with the crisis and with reduced incomes. A reduction in financial security risks increasing gaps in intra-household distribution of resources, which could further negatively impact women in the household. Further, women account for 81% of the country's workforce employed in the informal sector. The pandemic also impacts their access to steady jobs and salaries.

The disruption of food supply chains, labour shortages, limited production, and restricted mobility also have a direct bearing on pregnant women's food and nutrition consumption. For instance, a shortage of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, etc could potentially compromise nutrient supply to pregnant women and new mothers. This in turn accelerates undernutrition and lowers immunity in the midst of a pandemic, making them more prone to infections and diseases.

COVID-19 has also substantially affected the network of government-run health and development centres, popularly known as Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). These centres are responsible for providing food and primary healthcare, among other things, to children below six years of age, and mothers---especially those from low-income-families---through anganwadi workers.

1. Screening of children for basic health issues with focus on nutritional deficiency in association with ICDS and Health staff
2. Providing nutritious preparation as a supplement to Severely Underweight children.
3. Imparting guidance to the key stakeholders for providing better healthcare and nutrition services to children as per the need on government services
4. Creating linkages with healthcare system for providing appropriate referral services for children as and when required
5. Engaging with families to National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) for availing financial support to get affordable healthcare
6. Linking NHM and ICDS Programmes for children and adolescents to various schemes like deworming, iron supplementation, WASH, etc.
7. Conducting interactive sessions and educational activities to increase awareness on health and nutrition
8. Preparing a cadre of peer leaders, who are sensitive to the problems of children.
9. Building capacities of frontline health functionaries to deal with various health and nutrition problems of children with special focus on nutrition
10. Linking the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) with the families of severely malnourished children, as and when required
11. Quarterly review meeting for keeping track on convergence among key departments and intervention
12. Advocacy meetings for promoting the convergence at district and state level

1. 1264 Children with early detection and treatment of stunting, children are given the chance to grow to their full potential.
2. Increase the attendance of beneficiaries of ICDS & MDM program up to at least 80%
3. 100% eligible HHs benefit from the Govt. schemes like PDS and other various safety net program for the underprivileged such as ‘Vidhwa Sahay’, ‘Naradhar Sahay’, etc.
4. 100% vital registration using ‘Janamkshar’ to ensure early breastfeeding and tracking of low birth weight babies for 1000 days
5. Identification of undernourished beneficiaries by facilitating bi-annual health and anaemia screenings of 100% school-going children