
Today the world is battling Covid-19 but it has put some sections of society to the brink of hunger.
Government policies aimed at containing the virus’s spread, such as banning large gatherings and other restrictive measures may block some people key access to sources of nutrition or micronutrients. People in India who already suffer as a consequence of lockdown – including poor, unsheltered – are particularly affected by both the virus and the impact of containment measures.
Arjan De Wagt, Chief of Nutrition, Unicef India in an interview with HealthWire Media, said millions of children in South Asia are losing out on their development opportunities because of inadequate shelter, health services and access to clean water and sanitation. They need to be protected as hunger is always more dangerous than coronavirus.
He added that according to a Lancet study, 10.4 lakh under-5 deaths in India in 2017, as many as 7,06,000 deaths could be attributed to malnutrition so with the COVID-19 pandemic induced food security and malnutrition these figures will go up. Similarly, women in India have some of the world’s highest rates of anaemia, an iron deficiency.
According to Arjan, “India has significant achievements for a country that is home to nearly a sixth of the world’s population. But challenges still remain which includes improved in quality of life for everyone everywhere, especially women and children. Protecting the vulnerable from the serious health consequences of malnutrition will be important to prevent a ‘crisis within a crisis’ as the pandemic progresses.”
Government should immediately direct more resources towards social protection schemes. POSHAN Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight.
He also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi recent address to the nation on his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, where PM Modi stressed on the importance of nutritious meals and announced that the month of September will be observed as Poshan Maah or Nutrition Month.
He also added that India should observe Poshan Maah every month so as to raise awareness with the aim to build a people’s movement around malnutrition. People need to be reminded about the importance of nutrition and they need to know that nutrition is more than filling the stomach with food. People’s participation and awareness about the importance of nutrition will play a key role in the nutrition movement and will significantly reduce malnutrition in the coming years.
These are key Nutrition strategies and interventions aimed at improving nutritional outcomes among pregnant women, lactating mothers and children by reducing the level of stunting, underweight, anaemia and low birth.
“The need is to educate in promoting good nutrition behaviours through the themes ranging from antenatal checkups, breastfeeding and complementary feeding, anaemia prevention, food fortification, immunization, hygiene, water and sanitation. To avoid hunger crisis during Covid, our nutrition mission must not slow. And we all need to come together to spread more awareness about the importance of hunger as our future generations are at stake,” added Arjan.