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Mission Tejaswee launched in NL, Kamrup

By CorrespondentS

NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Oct 5 - Mission Tejaswee, a set of activities to be implemented in an intensified manner for prevention and treatment of anaemia across the State with equal focus on all 27 districts was launched formally in Lakhimpur on Saturday.

The month long programme was inaugurated by Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner, Debeswar Malakar in a function held in North Lakhimpur Civil Hospital. Speaking on the occasion DC Malakar said that anaemia is a serious problem affecting women and children whose national rate is highest in Assam. He asked all the stakeholders to implement this drive effectively in the district and asked the public to participate fully.

The Mission Tejaswee activities mainly include intensification of advocacy activities, awareness generation activities, administration of Iron Folic Acid (IFA) syrup to children from 6 to 60 months by ASHA workers, distribution of IFA tablets by ANM nurses to pregnant woman and lactating mothers with a goal to intensify Anti Natal Checkup (ANC) drive for ensuring high coverage of IFA tablet consumption. The main objective of the mission is to ensure high coverage of ANC package including IFA administration in pregnant women, effective efforts to increase the administration and compliance of IFA syrup among children aged 6 to 60 months.

In Lakhimpur district 1,130 ASHA workers are involved in the process of administering IFA syrup to children and they would make a line list of each and every children of the particular age group. A list of pregnant women would also be prepared by the ASHA workers in their respective villages which would be provided IFA tablets with ANC drives by ANM nurses in the district. The logistical support for Mission Tejwasee would be provided by 3,066 numbers of Anganwadi workers in the district. This was stated by Additional Joint Director Health, Lakhimpur, Dr JN Das.

It may be mentioned that anaemia, a manifestation of under-nutrition and poor dietary intake of iron is a serious public health problem among pregnant women, infants, young children and adolescents and Assam has the highest rate of anaemia in the country. Around 72 per cent of women are anemic in Assam and 77.3 per cent of children aged 6-35 months are anemic according to National Family Health Survey-III of 2005-06.

MIRZA: In an initiative to make Assam anaemia free, the District Health Society, Kamrup launched the monthly long programme Mission Tejaswee, stated a press release issued by DIPRO, Kamrup.

Mission Tejaswee was an initiative of the National Health Mission, Assam in a bid to make the State free from anaemia. As a part of the mission, children would be administered IFA syrup twice weekly on Saturdays and Wednesdays in 3,114 numbers of Anganwadi centers across the Kamrup district. Pregnant women would also be given IFA tablets.

Official sources said that all health workers including ASHAs, ANMs and Anganwadi workers were trained in the 12 health blocks of the district to carry out the mission. In the first week of the programme, all Gaon Burhas will be oriented for active participation and ownership of the programme and thereafter they will motivate rural masses in a bid to make the district anaemia free.

Deputy Commissioner Kamrup, Vinod Seshan, visited the sessions in several Anganwadi centres in the district and also instructed all Circle Officers of the district to monitor the sessions on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

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