Jharkhand kicks off Nutrition Month, focus on women’s health and local cuisine
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, Sept 18: Ajay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Jharkhand Health Department on Thursday launched the…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Sept 18: Ajay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Jharkhand Health Department on Thursday launched the 8th National Nutrition Month campaign with a strong focus on women’s health, maternal care, and promotion of local food.
The state government emphasized the importance of making Jharkhandi cuisine a part of the global food map while also improving health indicators through awareness drives and health check-ups.
Ajay Kumar said Jharkhand’s traditional dishes must reach global audiences.
“There are more than 100 Jharkhandi recipes, and rural women play a major role in preparing them. If we share the cooking methods of these dishes on social media, people across India and abroad will adopt them. This will create a global impact,” he said.
Kumar added that the ‘Swasth Nari Shaktishali Parivar Abhiyan’ (Healthy Women, Strong Families Campaign), launched yesterday at the state level, will continue till October 2. Under this initiative, free health check-ups are being conducted across all health centers in Jharkhand, with Anganwadi workers and Sahiyas tasked to ensure maximum women participation.
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Health Indicators and Focus Areas
Despite facing a shortage of doctors, Jharkhand has performed better than the national average in reducing infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, Kumar said. However, he acknowledged that the state still lags behind in institutional deliveries, where improvement is needed.
As part of Nutrition Month, all district welfare officers, health officials, Anganwadi workers, and Sahiyas have been asked to work together. Around 4,000 health camps will be organized daily across the state. The campaign will focus on encouraging families to cut down on sugar, refined flour, and oil while adding vegetables and fruits of different colors to their diets.
Kumar stressed that nutritious food is essential for women to remain healthy, which in turn ensures healthy children. Highlighting the state’s struggles with malnutrition and anemia, he urged mothers to breastfeed their infants from birth to prevent such conditions.
Role of Women and Awareness Drives
Addressing Anganwadi workers and Sahiyas, Kumar said, “You are the link to every household. Spread awareness about nutritious food and healthy practices.” He emphasized that their role is critical in ensuring the success of the campaign.
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Secretary Highlights Women’s Role in Healthy Jharkhand
Social Welfare Secretary Manoj Kumar underlined that a healthy Jharkhand cannot be imagined without healthy women.
“To build a developed Jharkhand, we must ensure better health for women. Half of the population’s health is crucial for a strong India and a strong state,” he said.
He praised the past performance of Anganwadi workers and Sahiyas in nutrition campaigns and expressed hope for even better results this year.
Manoj Kumar outlined six key themes of this year’s Nutrition Month, including promoting balanced diets, incorporating local food, increasing green vegetables, updating the nutrition tracker, and involving men in awareness activities.
Recognition and Incentives
During the event, Sahiyas from Khunti and Ramgarh districts were felicitated with cash prizes of ₹21,000 and ₹10,000 for their outstanding performance in the local food recipe competition. The campaign also saw the release of posters on the five-point nutrition formula and the significance of the first 1,000 days of life.
Officials reiterated the importance of reducing daily sugar and oil intake and stressed the need to promote locally available nutritious food to improve health outcomes in the state.
