Behaviour change among people can help fight under-nutrition, says Bhadel

The Rajasthan department of women and child development (DWCD) on Thursday launched the social and behaviour change communication strategy to fight against undernutrition in the state in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to make the country free of undernutrition.

The PM launched the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) from Jhunjhunu on March 8, emphasising the role of community participating in tackling undernutrition challenges.

State DWCD minister Anita Bhadel said, “We are making the beginning to make India and the state undernutrition free.”

To free Rajasthan from undernutrition, social and behaviour change strategy has been launched and the focus will be on improving the nutrition habits of people, especially children and mothers, she said.

By changing the behaviour among people in Rajasthan can help in fighting undernutrition, Bhadel said, adding that the strategy has been prepared in coordination with a number of departments, to fight undernutrition.

She further said that the strategy will be made successful with the convergence of the departments.

“Undernutrition among pregnant and lactating mother is a concern in every state in India. But Rajasthan has strengthened its commitment to fight undernutrition by adopting social and behaviour change as important means.”

Creating a sensitive family and society getting rid of practices prevailing at the social level is one of the integral parts of the strategy, Bhadel said.

The mentality of people about food is that they think if the taste of the food is good then it is nutritious and 80% of the people believe this, which has to be changed, she said.

“If porridge is served then people feel that it is food for sick. There is no shortage of food, but people have to be told that what to eat and how to eat.”

Roli Singh, DWCD principal secretary, said a special strategy has been prepared studying the peoples’ behaviour and social beliefs, so that undernutrition can be fought in better manner.

Reasons of undernutrition were discussed with departments such as health, integrated child development services, education, panchayati raj among others, she said.

“Coordinated efforts are required to overcome the problem of undernutrition in the state.”

She further said that the ‘life-cycle approach’ has been adopted in the strategy as a well-nourished girl will become a well-nourished mother and will give birth to a well-nourished child tomorrow.

“The strategy underlines the important role of husbands and mothers-in-law played in improving nutrition of mother and child.”

State health department secretary and National Health Mission chief Naveen Jain, said parents do not consider undernutrition as a major problem.

“We need to educate not only mothers but also fathers for improvements in nutrition,” he said.

“Engaging father’s in community-based management of acute malnutrition programme implemented by state health department has yielded encouraging results.”

NITI Aayog additional secretary Yaduvendra Mathur appreciating the initiative by the state government to invest in social and behaviour change for achieving better mother and child nutrition outcomes, said the idea aligns with the priorities set out in the NNM.

ICDS commissioner Shuchi Sharma urged all development partners to come together to make the implementation of strategy a success.