Photo credit: Itulungbe Ndang, SBP Kiphire district, Nagaland (February 2019)

Swasth Bharat Prerak Program updateVolume 05 | June 2019

News and events

• Swasth Bharat Preraks in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have been instrumental in brainstorming and formulating over 30 draft innovation proposals for their respective districts to implement initiatives under the innovations component of POSHAN Abhiyaan

• The State Lead and Swasth Bharat Preraks deployed in the urban districts of Maharashtra supported a state level multi-stakeholder consultation on urban women and children organised by the Department of Women and Child Development, Maharashtra

Inside this issue

Page 3• #PreraksAtWork - Championing

change

Pages 4-8

Why I became a PrerakPostcards from the field - Stories of change

• A new tool to fight vitamin C deficiency and anaemia

• Smoke-free anganwadi centres• Nutrition messages through

community radio • Streamlining data mapping in the

district

2

News and events

Steering innovation proposals

Swasth Bharat Preraks in Bihar,Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,and Telangana have beeninstrumental in brainstorming andformulating over 30 draftinnovation proposals for theirrespective districts, which havebeen forwarded to the stategovernment for consideration.

Each district has been allottedINR 27.85 lakh to implement aninitiative under the innovationscomponent of POSHANAbhiyaan.

Swasth Bharat Preraks supportconsultation on urban womenand children in Maharashtra

The State Lead and Swasth BharatPreraks deployed in the urbandistricts of Maharashtra supported aconsultation on urban women andchildren organised by theDepartment of Women and ChildDevelopment, Maharashtra. Theconsultation deliberated on urbangovernance for nutrition programsin Maharashtra. It saw activeparticipation of senior governmentofficials, development partners,chiefs of urban local bodies andrepresentatives from academia.

The Swasth Bharat Preraks played a vital role in drafting the agenda, invitingstakeholders and ensuring smooth program coordination.

The proposal themes range from using moringa powder for supplementing the quality of meals atanganwadi centres, to improving hygiene determinants of nutrition, and providing millet-based snacks toimprove anaemia levels.

2Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

#PreraksAtWork – Championing change

Shashank Ranjan, Mewat district,Haryana

Swasth Bharat Prerak Shashank Ranjan successfullymobilised religious and faith leaders in Malab village inMewat district to promote key behaviour changeactivities in the community. Shashank was concernedto note that low literacy rates and conservative beliefsin the community were adversely impacting adoptionof good menstrual hygiene, sanitation, immunisationand contraception practices.

Being sensitive to the belief structure of the community, Shashank supported the districtin approaching the sarpanch, also the maulana, who acted as a bridge to communicatemessages in mosques, village sabhas and schools. The team also utilised the communityradio, ‘Awaaz-e-Mewat’, as a platform for dissemination. In addition, a district level ‘KishoriSabha’ was organised where Shashank spoke on the significance of menstrual hygiene.

The results were impressive. Between September 2018 and March 2019, Shashankreported a visible increase in referral slips for pregnant and nursing mothers, increaseddistribution of condoms from centres and a higher incidence of female engagement onhealth and nutrition focussed issues.

Kushankur Datta, Dhalai district,TripuraSwasth Bharat Prerak Kushankur Dutta helped set upa vegetable donation box in 10 anganwadis in Dhalaidistrict to encourage community members to donatefresh vegetables from their household stock forpreparation of supplementary nutrition meals andincreasing consumption of green leafy vegetables bythe beneficiaries.

Kushankur is also assisting the district administrationin preparing financial estimates for refurbishment ofapproximately 10% anganwadi centres in the districtfor which, funds will be allocated by the North-Eastern Council.

In addition, Kushankur is supporting convergence activities with the Health Department.As a result, weighing scales were made available at several anganwadi centres. Thisconsequently led to improved weighing coverage and data mapping in the district.

3

4Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

Why I became a Prerak

Saritha Challuri,Jayashankar Bhupalpally district,Telangana

The daughter of an anganwaditeacher, Saritha Challuri is nostranger to the trials andtribulations of communityservice.

Saritha has served as a YoungIndia Fellow at the AshokaUniversity; she has alsoexperimented with roles in thecorporate sector. Saritha humblyacknowledges those learnings,however, she was always keen towork at the grassroots level anddeepen her engagement with thecommunity.

“This program has provided me the opportunity to effect change where it truly matters- the

district- which is pivotal to the development agenda of a

state,” shares Saritha.

Previously a Zilla Swachh Bharat Prerak,where she supported her district becomeopen defecation-free, Saritha realised that hertrue passion lay in serving the community.

Realising the crucial contribution of goodnutrition to community health, Saritha wasnaturally drawn to the Swasth Bharat Prerakprogram.

As a Swasth Bharat Prerak, Saritha is workingclosely on increasing referral of severely acutemalnourished children to NutritionalRehabilitation Centres. She is also supportingestablishment of sustainable nutri-gardens atanganwadi centres, in line with principles oforganic farming. Having witnessed the zealand passion with which her mother served atanganwadis; Saritha continues to support theefforts of frontline functionaries, many ofwhom have appreciated her efforts. She isdetermined to see Jayashankar Bhupalpally, anaspirational district, becoming a model onesoon.

Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

A new tool to fight vitamin C deficiency and anaemiaRatneshwarTripathi, Katni district, Madhya Pradesh

“The bright smiles on the

faces of children when they received the candies

was the biggest takeaway for

me,” says Ratneshwar.

Children in the age group of 6-59 months inthese identified anganwadis were simultaneouslyscreened for anaemia by the Health Departmentto source baseline data.

Ratneshwar coordinated with the HealthDepartment to impart detailed training onanaemia management, on amla as a crucial sourceof vitamin C, and the contribution of vitamin Cin improving iron metabolism. In addition, withthe support of the district administration, hehelped ensure robust distribution channels foramla candies.

He also sought the intervention of the DistrictCollector to ensure proper and uninterruptedsupply of amla candies. Rigorous quality checkswere undertaken to ensure distribution of highquality products only. The pilot, monitored andsupervised by an external agency, has receivedsubstantial media coverage. Ratneshwar awaitsthe results of the endline data to assessimproved anaemia levels in the samplepopulation.

Postcards from the field – Stories of change

5

These anganwadis were identifiedbased on the presence of at leastthree children who were severelyunderweight (red zone) and 10children who were moderatelyunderweight (yellow zone).

Swasth Bharat Prerak RatneshwarTripathi played a key role inpiloting an intervention forboosting vitamin C (through amlacandies) and iron and folic acid(through fixed syrup dosage)supplementation, twice a week in60 anganwadis in Dheemarkhedaproject in Katni district.

Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

Smoke-free anganwadi centresAnkit Choudhary, Palamu district,Jharkhand

At the District ConvergenceCommittee meeting, Swasth BharatPrerak Ankit Choudhary from Palamudistrict proposed leveraging PradhanMantri Ujjwala Yojana to equipanganwadi centres with LPG cylinders.

Further deliberations and convergenceactivities between the Departments ofSupply, Planning and Social Welfare,Women and Child Development led toutilisation of CSR funds fromHindustan Petroleum CorporationLimited towards this objective.

“This initiative will help

improve health outcomes in the

district by moving away from harmful

effects of firewood

cooking,” says Ankit.

The team worked hard to prepare acompelling pitch for securing the supply oftwo LPG cylinders and a stove burner eachfor 50 anganwadi centres, spanning 10projects in the district.

This initiative has already positively impactedthe lives of around 1750 beneficiaries. Ankit isgrateful for the support of the District SocialWelfare Officer in making this initiativepossible.

To avoid any leakages and misuse, the districthas issued the LPG cylinders in the name ofanganwadi centres, instead of individualanganwadi workers. Additionally, in the firstinstance, only those anganwadis, which arehoused in secure government buildings havebeen identified to avoid the risk of theft.

6

Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

Nutrition messages through community radioVishnu GP, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu

Swasth Bharat Prerak fromRamanathapuram district, VishnuGP successfully used communityradio for imparting nutritionfocussed messages. In view of thelarge outreach of this medium,Vishnu supported the districtadministration in approaching‘Kadalosai’, the community radiostation, for featuring suchinformation.

“That several episodes were aired

despite any monetary incentive

to the program participants gives it greater credibility

and also demonstrates its

longer-term sustainability,”

informs a pleased Vishnu.

The episodes were varied, ranging from a jingleby an anganwadi worker on the inter-generational cycle of malnutrition and methodsof redressal, to nutritious recipes for improvingthe utilisation of take home ration. Discussiontopics included the objectives and significance ofPOSHAN Abhiyaan. Further, the content forseveral episodes was formulated using the ICDSDepartment’s bi-monthly newsletter ‘ChittuKuvuri’.

Feedback from the public during caller timeindicates that the audience is now moreenlightened about determinants of malnutritionand ways of addressing this challenge.

7

Volume 05 | June 2019 | Swasth Bharat Prerak Program

Streamlining data mapping in the districtRakesh Mishra, Katihar district,Bihar

Rakesh Mishra, Swasth Bharat Prerak inKatihar district supported his DistrictMagistrate in ensuring coordination withthe Health Department to improvemapping of weight measurement ofbeneficiaries.

In addition, his efforts in providingsupportive supervision through the state’s‘Aangan’ app enabled the district dataoperators to regularly update progress onvarious parameters to the district ICDSofficials.

“Such efforts have led to improvement in maintenance of

management information system

(MIS) data at anganwadis in the district. This will lead to greater

inclusion of deserving

beneficiaries,” shares Rakesh.

8

This consequently helped increase theparticipation and visits of Lady Supervisors toanganwadi centres. Further, beginning October2018, an increase in coverage of community basedevents such as Annaprashan was also witnessed.

Rakesh also convinced his district officials tobolster capacity of frontline functionaries, in orderto maintain proper recording of data in 11registers.

With the guidance of his District Program Officer,Rakesh helped identify master trainers fromamongst Lady Supervisors and Child DevelopmentProject Officers. The master trainers wereprovided additional training in January 2019, postwhich they trained anganwadi workers on correctmanual data recording.