Impact India Foundation's Trace, Treat, Track project - Nutrition needs

The intensity and nightmare scenario of COVID-19 has spread from the cities to the rural areas where we are seeing an increase in the number of positive COVID cases with entire families being affected. The burden of this pandemic in rural areas has resulted in a manifold effect on the communities by not only compromising their existing health conditions but also adversely impacting their nutrition and socio-economic status. The most vulnerable including pregnant and lactating mothers, the differently-abled, persons residing in hard-to-reach areas suffer the most.

 Impact India Foundation (IIF) has been working in Palghar District, Maharashtra since 2005 and has already raised funding for its COVID 19 Trace, Treat & Track project in Mokhada Block (Taluka) for particulars such as Medical equipment (Concentrators, Oximeters, Thermal Scanners etc); Awareness and Empowerment, Transportation, Human Resources. IIF urgently seeks funds for Nutrition which is a vital component of the project. The cost is Rs. 2500 per family of six for 10,000 Households for a period of 4 months.

Impact India Foundation's (IIF) strategy to address COVID-19 fundamentally rests on the goal of eradication of infection from Mokhada's 93,751 population by Tracing, Treating and Tracking (TTT). This is a preventive health project to reduce prevalence and incidence to below acceptable threshold levels. Equipped with protective gear IIF’s Community Health Officers (CHO) will go house-to-house to screen COVID affected residents using Digital Thermometers, Oximeters and to test Blood Pressure & Sugar. Once a COVID patient is traced, IIF will institute treatment and make timely referrals to Government Health Centres to control morbidity and mortality.  IIF will distribute Food parcels to 10,000 needy Households (HH) out of the 16,889 HHs in this Block. Malnutrition is rampant in these HHs because of a lack of income due to the Lockdown and it is necessary to address this problem at the earliest. The Government of India is providing rations of 10 Kg Rice, 5 Kg Wheat and 2 Kg Sugar to each family. IIF will add Proteins & Fat to their diet which is important to avoid serious malnutrition and will boost their immunity. IIF has designed a software to capture beneficiaries' records for digital tracking.

The impact will be reflected in the increased Nutrition status of 10,000 families.

IIF is primarily targeting the most vulnerable in the community comprising COVID patients, those recovering from COVID, residing in hard-to-reach areas, pregnant and lactating mothers, widows, senior citizens, families with disabled children, differently-abled adults and so on.  

Nutrition will be provided to each HH (each comprising 6 persons) over a period of 4 months: 4 Kgs of Moong daal (pulses), 4 litres of Edible Oil, 4 Kgs of Dried Fish, 2 Kgs of Jaggery, 4 Kgs of Groundnuts and Eggs, at a total cost of about Rs. 2500 per HH for 4 months. 

The current Distribution Plan is to cover the 4 months of the Monsoon season.

The impact will be reflected in a reduction in the number of COVID positive cases as IIF will

• advocate the consumption of a balanced diet - especially protein intake
• generate awareness on the need for personal and environmental hygiene,
• promote COVID appropriate preventive health behaviour (by donating soaps & masks) and public health messaging
• motivate the population to avail of vaccination against COVID 19.
• develop local community champions "COVID WARRIORS" in preparation for the third wave.