Fighting stigma and misconception against nutrition

Rohit now smiles and play cheerfully with other children of his age. He has gained a steady weight of 12.

5 Kgs and his family is happy and enjoys the 3-4 variety of vegetables in their meal. A few days ago, four-year-old Rohit was critically ill and weak due to severe malnutrition.

Rohit was measured Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) by Spandan SABAL Nutrition Health Worker (NHW) during his visit to the family.

The case was immediately informed to the Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and while on-site check it was confirmed as a case of SAM and the child was put for intensive care and entitlement.

AWW counselled the family especially the mother about food and other entitlements available for the child from Anganwadi Center. Simultaneously, NHW under Sabal programme started providing nutrition supplements made from locally available resources such as kutki, jaggery and sesame oil and closely monitored the child health through regular profiling.

Among korku tribe, there is a deep perception that malnutrition is an incurable disease and it cannot be prevented. Rohit’s family was also one among them who used to visit their tribal healer for the treatment of Rohit. The tribal healer suggested the family abstain the child from eating vegetables and meat products and to be fed only on staple grains (like wheat, pulse) with selective vegetables.

Spandan NHW invited Rohit’s mother for meetings and training to explain the aspects of nutrition. After frequent participation, Rohit’s mother realised the benefits of having a variety of vegetables in the meal and her misconception of nutrition has changed. She showed interest in setting up a backyard nutrition garden and started the garden with the help of seeds availed through Sabal.

The nutrition requirement of the family was ensured with the support of Spandan SABAL team and now the family enjoys a balanced diet including brinjal, bottle gourd, french-beans and tomato even during the scorching summers.