Measures to Improve Health Services post COVID-19 Pandemic

New Delhi: Govt. is implementing the Supplementary Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services and Scheme for Adolescent Girls for different categories of beneficiaries. in order to improve the nutritional status of Women and Children. To ensure continuous nutritional support to Anganwadi beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic, necessary directions were issued to the States/UTs to distribute supplementary nutrition at the doorstep of beneficiaries once in 15 days by Anganwadi Workers.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued the guidance note on “Provision of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services during & post COVID-19 Pandemic” with States and UTs which states that campaign mode services such as mass Vitamin a prophylaxis, campaigns for Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF), National Deworming Day (NDD) and Anemia can be provided on an alternative mechanism like through home delivery of essential services & commodities etc. based on local situations. The continuation of outreach services through modified VHSNDs and Home visits by health workers was recommended in area beyond buffer zone and green zone. The activities in the containment and buffer zone were recommended through the routine visits of COVID workers. Essential medicines like IFA, ORS, calcium and Zinc are home delivered in containment zones. Specific guidance notes on the provision of the outreach services with all States and UTs to ensure continuity of essential outreach services has been issued and Webinars on implementation of outreach services related to Anemia, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs), Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs), Diarrhoea prevention, NDD and IYCF practices etc have been organized.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.