Bhubaneswar, September 15: In order to create awareness on key nutritional behavioural changes and building capacities of the Mahila Aarogy Samiti (MAS) members, AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Thursday organised ‘Poshan Mela’ at the Nayapalli Urban Health & Training Centre here.
Speaking on the occasion, AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director Prof (Dr) Ashutosh Biswas said that the premier institute will help in building capacities of the MAS members working in grassroots on key nutritional behavioural changes.
Maintaining that due to lack of knowledge and information related to nutrition, society is witnessing a number of serious issues, Biswas said, “The Department of Community Medicines and Family Medicines of AIIMS Bhubaneswar has implemented a unique initiative under the Community Led Activities for POSHAN (CLAP) programme.”
As a part of National Level Poshan Maah celebration, Resource Centre for Advancement on Public Health Nutrition has organised the programme. More than 150 participants from 10 MAS members demonstrated skills to discuss various issues related to infant and child feeding practices, complementary feeding, exclusive breast feeding, hand washing, deworming, growth monitoring of new born, care related to ante-natal checkup and postnatal check-ups, diabetes type-II, hypertension etc.
This rigorous approach to sensitise MAS members on the crucial issues started almost a month back whereby multiple rounds of discussion on different thematic areas have happened with MAS members. Mentors have been engaged to build capacities of the MAS members, so that they can effectively showcase their demonstration skills using communication tools.
The Mela, supported by UNICEF was also attended by AIIMS Bibinagar (Telengana) Executive Director Prof (Dr) Vikas Bhatia, Odisha Family Welfare Director Dr. Bijay Kumar Panigrahi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar CM&FM Department HoD Dr. Sonu H.Subba, Dr. Swayam Pragyan Parida, Dr. Binod Kumar Behera and Dr. Prajna Paramita Giri.
On this occasion a continuous medical education (CME) on nutrition was also organized for medical/nursing students and interns at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
