Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children launched

The Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children was launched by the Ministry for Women and Child Development. 

Currently 4.37 crore children from age 3 to 6 years are being supported with hot-cooked meals and ECCE every day, 4.5 crore children of age group  0 to 3 years with take-home rations and home visits, and more than 8 crore children from 0-6 years age group are supported with growth monitoring and referrals to the health system to enhance early childhood development.

Allinged with the vision of Swasth Suposhit Bharat in Amrit Kaal, this protocol embodies a Social Model for Divyangjan inclusive care under the POSHAN Abhiyan, with a step-by-step approach:

• Step 1: Screening for early disability signs
• Step 2: Inclusion in community events and empowering families
• Step 3: Referral support via ASHA/ANM & Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams.

Through the Divyang protocol, every district administration will be guided in addressing special needs for education and nutrition, providing Swavlamban Cards for the empowerment of divyang children and their families. The developmental milestones of the children will be tracked on the Poshan tracker and the data will further support convergence between relevant Ministries viz; MoHFW, DoSEL, DePwD, etc.

The creation of this protocol is a result of the government’s recognition that undetected disabilities in early years can cause delays in rehabilitation, and can hamper the development of a child. Studies show 30% of disabilities in India are preventable if caught early, and with the correct stimulation and simple play-based educational activities conducted for children under the age of 6 years, developmental delays can be prevented from developing into more severe disabilities. ASHA workers will aid the Angawadi workers in their home visits to the families of the children, and help in referring children to health services wherever necessary.

According to Census 2011, 2.2% people are disabled in India, which is about 3 crore adjusted to the current population. This makes early intervention and identification crucial. The early years, first three years, are critical for fine motor control, cognitive, and mental development and if parents are unaware or misguided, this window of opportunity is gone.This further makes the role of Anganwadi Workers crucial.

Poshan Abhiyaan

POSHAN Abhiyaan is a major initiative, among the various initiatives of the  Ministry of Women and Child Development. Poshan Abhiyan was  launched  on 8th March 2018 with an aim to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children under 6 years, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner by adopting a synergised and result-oriented approach.

Source : PIB