'The two pillars of a strong nation, are nutrition and sanitation!'

Chandigarh.14^th March,2020: Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) is India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Launched in March 2018, the programme, through use of technology, real-time monitoring, a targeted approach, and convergence, strives to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anemia and low birth weight in children, as also, focus on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition.

Focusing on nutrition in a big way, the central government has launched the Poshan Pakhwada from 8th March 2020 to 22nd March 2020 across the country to mark the second anniversary of the POSHAN Abhiyan.

As a part of on-going observance of Rastriya Poshan Pakhwada, awareness related to good personal hygiene, staying healthy, and building better self-awareness, was the message passed on to the community.

A Quiz competition was organized at Buterla Dharamshala on Overall Nutrition among pregnant and nursing ladies and their husbands. Males were also indulged in the activity, signifying the need and call for increasing male participation in the POSHAN Pakhwada.

A ‘Test and Treat’ camp for Anemia was also organized. Lectures on anemia were delivered by Anganwadi Workers, with the objective of to generate awareness in the community regarding anemia.

For Increasing Male Engagement in POSHAN Abhiyaan to Improve Nutritional Outcomes, the POSHAN Pledge was taken with robust male representation from the community.

Demonstrations on Oral Rehydration Salts were given for better dealing with dehydration, especially due to diarrhea. Hand wash demonstration was also done with Anganwadi children.

Poshan Rally with the Children, Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers and Males was organized at Ram Darbar, highlighting the importance of the 5 PANCH Sutras of Poshan to mobilise the community for our cause.

Various ongoing activities like Home visits for breast feeding observation,  awareness for keeping our surroundings clean, POSHAN among senior citizens , Hand-wash demonstrations and trainings of male participants, Lectures on poshan for adolescent group ( boys& girls), Sports Competition among adolescent girls, hygiene competition, etc are being organised at various locations in The City Beautiful!

The highlight of the day was a Muppet and Puppet Show on Poshan and Swachhta, organised for the children of Snehalaya orphanage, Maloya, Chandigarh. The puppets communicated matters of immense importance to the children, through the medium of humour. Very well received by the much participative audience, the kids internalised the many pertinent concepts related to health, nutrition, and sanitation, as the Muppets reiterated the message of 'Sahi Poshan, Desh Roshan' from the stage.

All these activities are done with full conviction, committed to our aim of weeding out Malnutrition from the nation's soil!