Guwahati, 27th February: The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Women and Child Development have joined forces in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to tackle anaemia among adolescent girls through Ayurveda interventions. Named ‘Anaemia Control among adolescent girls using Ayurveda interventions under Mission Utkarsh,’ the initiative was launched at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
Union Ministers Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and Smt. Smriti Irani were present at the signing ceremony. The project aims to target the anaemic status of adolescent girls aged 14-18 in five aspirational districts: Dhubri in Assam, Bastar in Chhattisgarh, Paschimi Singhbhum in Jharkhand, Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, and Dhaulpur in Rajasthan.
Approximately 95,000 adolescent girls in these districts will benefit from improved nutrition through this initiative, which will cover about 10,000 Anganwadi Centres in the designated areas.
Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized that the Prime Minister’s Mission Utkarsh aims to elevate the national average of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in aspirational districts across the country. Meanwhile, Smt. Smriti Irani underscored the cost-effective solutions Ayush systems can offer for anaemia, backed by evidence from institutions like ICMR. She anticipates positive outcomes for 95,000 individuals, offering valuable insights for the global medical community.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha highlighted the detrimental effects of anaemia on adolescents’ physical and mental capacity, stressing the significance of India’s traditional medicine systems in primary health care settings.
Shri Indewar Pandey outlined the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s initiatives, including ‘Saksham Aanganbaadi’ and ‘Poshan’ Scheme, aimed at combating malnutrition among children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women. Special attention is given to girls aged 14 to 18 years, crucial for future generations’ wellbeing.
The collaboration with Ayush has yielded significant results, with over 2.7 crore Ayush-based activities under ‘Poshan Maah’ and ‘Poshan Pakhwada’. The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has played a pivotal role in implementing public health initiatives like the national campaign on anaemia control through Ayurveda.
Prof. Ravi Narayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, along with respected dignitaries including Pushpa Chaudhary from WHO and Dr. Rajeev Bahl from ICMR, attended a recent event to discuss further strategies and collaborations in combating anaemia and promoting adolescent health.
Read More: Watch: Assam CM Leads Bike Rally, Distributes Land Pattas to Beneficiaries in Majuli