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The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has called for a regional collaborative network to support maternal and child nutrition activities. Delivering the inaugural address at the Regional Ministerial Consultation on Maternal and Child Health in Asian Countries, the Minister said that such a framework would strengthen institutional and governmental efforts to implement food-based interventions. This regional network can also help funding institutions and the private sector to reach out to parts of Asia that have so far been beyond the food security net.
Dr. Ramadoss said that underweight status and micro-nutritional deficiencies are one of the major underlying causes of death. Foetal malnutrition, manifested in low birth weight, also contributes to neonatal mortality. In children with vitamin A deficiency, the risk of dying from diarrhoea, measles, and malaria is increased by 20-24%. Likewise, zinc deficiency increases the risk of mortality from diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria by 13-21%. Malnutrition exposes children to many health risks and development vulnerabilities throughout their lives.
The Minister mentioned that the Government was looking at the maternal and child nutrition and family planning as a holistic problem and will be addressing the issue through an integrated package involving public-private partnership. This would involve awareness creation as well as creation of infrastructure to meet the increased demands.
Delivering the presidential address at the regional consultation, the Minister of State for Woman and Child Development, Mrs. Kanti Singh said that a National Nutrition Mission has been notified to tackle the problem of malnutrition in a mission mode. The National Nutrition Mission is headed by the Prime Minister and includes Union Ministers of concerned sectors. Referring to the special emphasis on expansion of nutrition programmes for the girl child in the CMP, she said that one of her immediate tasks was to extend the coverage of the ICDS programme to cover all settlements in the country. The three day consultation is being attended by representatives of about 20 Asian countries.
The Regional Ministerial Consultation jointly organized by the Deptt. of Women and Child Development and the United Nations World Food Programme will conclude on Friday.
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