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By: Adeel Alvi
SHIKARPUR: Owing to the scarcity of knowledge regarding giving proper and balanced food, cleanliness and also not giving proper attention to their newborn babies and children, therefore, they [newborn babies] become the victim of Severe Acute Malnutrition [SAM], and Moderate Acute Malnutrition [MAM].
Since the inception, I faced a lot of hardships to harmonize the village women for screening their kids to check the MUAC level to feed the nutrition in this regard, first of all, made 04 groups of women and 01 groups of men to aware village women concerning SAM, and MAM and started conducting a monthly meeting of groups to enhance the knowledge and overcome the nutrition-related issues. After becoming part of the Program for Improved Nutrition in Sindh funded by the European Union focusing on grass route level issues to overcome nutrition issues.
During the regular visits, I have identified children who have become the victim of SAM & MAM and referred to Nutrition Specific Centers [NSCs] from them 90 percent of children have recovered while 10 percent of newborn babies are still under treatment at NSC and homes as well and all credit goes to PINS Program.
Apart from that, Program for Improved Nutrition in Sindh also helps to provide Iron Folic Acid [IFA], This medication is an iron supplement used to treat or prevent low blood level of iron, to 95 Pregnant Lactating Women [PLW].
I have been visiting my cluster villages including Lal Bux Jagirani, Akbar Jagirani, Allah Dad Jagirani, Tanwari Jagirani, Ali Nawaz Jagirani, and Hazar Khan Lashari with the support of Sindh Rural Support Organization on regular basis since June 2019 and expressed her pleasure that the women of villages have been aware that how to take care themselves and their babies and whole credit goes to PINS program, said Ms. Shahnaz Khatoon, a Community Health Worker of Tanwari Jagirani village, a suburb area of Rustam town of Shikarpur.
The program is ongoing in eight districts of Sindh including Shikarpur, Thatta, Sujawal, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Larkana, and Oambar Shahdad Kot, intended to provide 100 percent availability of treatment for Severe Acute Malnutrition [SAM] & MAM children with the support of Sindh government, SRSO, PPHI, IHS, and other partners.