Nanimami1: A Holistic Approach to Maternal and Child Health in India

Introduction

Nanimami1, an abbreviation for National Nutrition Mission, is a flagship program launched by the Indian government in 2017 to improve maternal and child health in India. The program aims to reduce malnutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight, and to ensure that all women and children have access to essential health services.

Key Objectives of Nanimami1

Nanimami1 has three main objectives:

• To reduce under-nutrition and anaemia among women and children
• To reduce low birth weight and pre-term births
• To provide essential health services to all women and children

Pillars of Nanimami1

Nanimami1 is built on five pillars:

1. Ante-natal Care: Providing comprehensive antenatal care to pregnant women, including nutrition counselling, immunization, and screening for complications.
2. Post-natal Care: Providing post-natal care to mothers and newborns, including breastfeeding counselling, nutrition support, and follow-up visits.
3. Infant and Young Child Feeding: Promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and then introducing age-appropriate complementary foods.
4. Nutrition: Addressing malnutrition through nutrition counselling, food fortification, and iron supplementation.
5. Health Systems Strengthening: Strengthening health systems to ensure that all women and children have access to essential health services.

Implementation of Nanimami1

Nanimami1 is being implemented in a phased manner across India. The program started with 100 districts in 2017, and has since been expanded to cover all districts in the country.

Key Achievements of Nanimami1

Since its launch, Nanimami1 has achieved significant success in improving maternal and child health in India.

• Reduction in under-nutrition: The prevalence of under-nutrition among children under 5 years of age has decreased from 38.4% in 2015-16 to 35.5% in 2019-20.
• Reduction in anaemia: The prevalence of anaemia among women and children has also decreased significantly.
• Increase in institutional deliveries: The percentage of institutional deliveries has increased from 78.9% in 2015-16 to 88.1% in 2019-20.
• Improved immunization coverage: The coverage of childhood immunization has also improved, with more children being fully immunized against preventable diseases.

Challenges and Way Forward

Despite the progress made, Nanimami1 still faces some challenges.

• Access to health services: Not all women and children in India have access to essential health services, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
• Awareness of nutrition: There is a need to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and healthy feeding practices.
• Behavior change: Changing deep-rooted cultural and social practices related to nutrition and child care can be a challenge.

The government is committed to addressing these challenges and scaling up Nanimami1 to reach all women and children in India. The program will continue to focus on providing comprehensive health services, promoting healthy behavior change, and strengthening health systems.

Case Studies

Box 1:
Name: Kusum Devi
Location: Bihar

Kusum Devi is a 30-year-old mother of two from a remote village in Bihar. She was pregnant with her second child when she first heard about Nanimami1. She attended regular antenatal check-ups at the local health center, where she received nutrition counselling and iron supplements. After the birth of her baby, she received counselling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Thanks to Nanimami1, both Kusum and her baby are healthy and well-nourished.

Box 2:
Name: Rajitha
Location: Tamil Nadu

Rajitha is a 25-year-old mother of one from a slum in Chennai. She was anemic during her pregnancy and had a low birth weight baby. After delivery, she participated in a Nanimami1 nutrition program, where she learned about the importance of a healthy diet and breastfeeding. She also received iron supplements and food fortification. Within a few months, Rajitha's iron levels improved and her baby's weight gain improved.

Conclusion

Nanimami1 is a comprehensive and holistic program that is making a significant contribution to improving maternal and child health in India. By providing essential health services, promoting healthy behavior change, and strengthening health systems, Nanimami1 is helping to ensure that all women and children in India have the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives.

Tables

Table 1: Key Indicators of Maternal and Child Health in India

Table 2: Nanimami1 Interventions

Table 3: Key Achievements of Nanimami1

| Achievement |
|---|---|
| Reduction in under-nutrition among children under 5 |
| Reduction in anaemia among women and children |
| Increase in institutional deliveries |
| Improved immunization coverage |

FAQs

1. What is the main objective of Nanimami1?
   - The main objective of Nanimami1 is to improve maternal and child health in India.

2. What are the key pillars of Nanimami1?
   - The key pillars of Nanimami1 are ante-natal care, post-natal care, infant and young child feeding, nutrition, and health systems strengthening.

3. How is Nanimami1 being implemented?
   - Nanimami1 is being implemented in a phased manner across India, starting with 100 districts in 2017 and expanding to cover all districts in the country.

4. What are the key achievements of Nanimami1?
   - The key achievements of Nanimami1 include a reduction in under-nutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight, as well as an increase in institutional deliveries and immunization coverage.

5. What are the challenges faced by Nanimami1?
   - The challenges faced by Nanimami1 include access to health services, awareness of nutrition, and behavior change.

6. What is the government's commitment to Nanimami1?
   - The government is committed to scaling up Nanimami1 to reach all women and children in India and to addressing the challenges faced by the program.

Call to Action

If you are interested in supporting Nanimami1 and helping to improve maternal and child health in India, please consider the following actions:

• Donate to a charity that supports maternal and child health programs in India.
• Volunteer your time at a local health center or community organization that provides maternal and child health services.
• Spread the word about Nanimami1 and encourage your friends and family to support the program.

Together, we can help to ensure that all women and children in India have the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives.