New National Protocol to Tackle Child Malnutrition

• 11 Oct 2023

In a significant move, the Indian government launched a standardized national protocol on 10^th October, aimed at identifying and providing comprehensive care to malnourished children across the country.

Key Points

• National Malnutrition Protocol: The 'Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children' was officially launched by Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, in New Delhi.
• Comprehensive Guidelines: This protocol lays out a comprehensive 10-step set of guidelines, primarily focused on identifying and managing malnourished children at the Anganwadi level.
• These guidelines include decision-making processes for referrals, nutritional management, and follow-up care.
• Growth Monitoring: The protocol includes growth monitoring as a crucial component to assess children's nutritional status.
• It introduces appetite testing, nutritional management, and follow-up care for children who achieve the required growth parameters post-intervention.
• Innovative "Buddy Mother" Concept: Under this initiative, mothers of healthy babies guide the mothers of malnourished children at Anganwadi centers on a weekly basis.