The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Women and Child Development have collaborated to enhance the nutritional health of adolescent girls through Ayurvedic interventions. This partnership aims at addressing anaemia among girls aged 14-18 in five selected districts of India, under the initiative named “Mission Utkarsh.” The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this initiative was signed at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Minister of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Irani.
This joint public health initiative targets approximately 95,000 adolescent girls in anaemia-prone districts, where the average prevalence of anaemia is around 69.5%. These districts include Assam’s Dhubri, Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, Jharkhand’s Paschimi Singhbhum, Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, and Rajasthan’s Dhaulpur, encompassing about 10,000 Anganwadi Centres.
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized the collaborative effort to achieve an ‘Anaemia Mukt Bharat’ (Anaemia Free India). He also highlighted the role of Mission Utkarsh, launched by the Prime Minister of India, in improving key performance indicators in these regions.
Smt. Smriti Irani underscored the significance of Ayush systems in providing a cost-effective solution to tackle anaemia. The initiative is expected to attract global medical community attention due to its scale, cost-effectiveness, and time-bound outcomes.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, stressed the impact of anaemia in adolescence, noting its adverse effects on physical and mental capabilities, as well as future maternal health. He pointed out the integral role of traditional Indian medicine in primary health settings.
Shri Indewar Pandey, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, discussed the ministry’s efforts to combat malnutrition among children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women. He mentioned the “Saksham Aanganbaadi” and “Poshan” Scheme, highlighting the focus on girls aged 14-18 to ensure the birth of healthy children in the future. He also noted the significant role of Ayush in enhancing these schemes.
The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has a robust track record in this field. It has successfully implemented public health initiatives and clinical trials, including a national campaign on anaemia control and a multi-level operational study in Gadchiroli District on the effectiveness of Ayurvedic interventions for prenatal care.
The event also witnessed the presence of Prof. Ravi Narayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, Pushpa Chaudhary from WHO, Dr. Rajeev Bahl, DG of ICMR, and other dignitaries, highlighting the broad support and significance of this initiative.
The collaboration between these ministries marks a significant step in utilizing traditional Ayurvedic practices for modern healthcare challenges, specifically targeting the widespread issue of anaemia among adolescent girls. This project not only aims to improve the immediate health of these young women but also lays a foundation for their future well-being and that of their potential children. By integrating Ayurvedic practices with modern healthcare approaches, this initiative presents an innovative and culturally sensitive solution to a pressing public health concern.
This partnership between the Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Women and Child Development represents a pivotal move towards addressing adolescent anaemia in India. It leverages the strengths of traditional Ayurvedic medicine in a modern public health context, aiming to create a substantial impact on the health and well-being of thousands of young girls in some of the most anaemia-affected districts of the country.