Kargil, June 06 : Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare, Higher Education and Information, Ladakh, Padma Angmo today chaired a review meeting of the ICDS Department at Conference Hall to discuss an action plan to reduce Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) to zero in Kargil district.

Director Social and Tribal Welfare Department, Ladakh, Suman Beniwal, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Nargis Banoo, Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) of various projects, Supervisors, Anganwadi Workers besides concerned officers were present during the meeting.

During the meeting, threadbare discussions were held with concerned officers and Anganwadi Workers to take suggestions to frame an action plan to reduce the MAM.

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During the meeting, CDPOs, Supervisors and Anganwadi workers of various projects including, Kargil, Drass Taisuru, Shargole, Chiktan and Sankoo forwarded various suggestions to the Commissioner Secretary to curb MAM in the district.

After the brainstorming session, the Commissioner Secretary said storage of raw materials should be done meticulously to retain the nutrition value of food. She said awareness programs should be held at mass level regarding nutrition of lactating mothers and children.

The Commissioner Secretary added that the weighing machine would be replaced at the earliest adding that before the procurement, existing machines should be used with precision.

Padma Angmo also informed that health camps will be held in collaboration with the Health Department Kargil to maintain the health of the lactating mother and their children.

She reiterated on campaigning related to breastfeeding and also directed that deworming should be executed twice in a year.

The Commissioner Secretary stressed on tracking of lactating mothers on the pattern of MAM and said that their health should be prioritized and in this regard necessary collaboration will be done with the Health Department. She added that regarding anaemia in lactating mothers, collaboration will be done with Health Department.

Padma Angmo directed that project-wise detailed data should be analyzed by the concerned CDPOs related to MAM and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Further, a separate strategy for Zanskar Sub Division should be finalized under the supervision of District Project Officer, ICDS, Kargil.

The Commissioner Secretary added that the monitoring and review of each MAM case at the supervisor level should be done twice a month and at the director and CDPO level, it should be done once a month to track progress and improvement in health of such children.

The Commissioner Secretary thanked the officer and workers of the concerned department for attending the meeting. She said that the project should be taken as a pilot initially to check its viability and further measures should be taken to reduce MAM to zero by the end of 2023.

Earlier, the Commissioner Secretary took feedback from Anganwadi Workers who were sent for training to NIPCCD Mohali.

She reiterated that for master trainers should be identified from various projects so that in the future necessary awareness and training related to activities of ICDS are provided by them.

Later, Padma Angmo visited various construction sites under the Social Tribal Welfare Department including the 300 bedded Girls Hostel and Old Age Home constructed at Kurbathang near the airport.

Regarding the Girls Hostel, she directed the executing agency that the project should be completed as per the design and landscaping should be in accordance with the project.

Related to the construction of Old Age Home, she was informed that by the end of the current financial year, 80 percent work is expected to be completed and further provisions for landscaping, boundary walls, open theatre and geothermal have been included.

The Commissioner Secretary further directed that the building should be winter-friendly and should have passive solar technology.

Director Social and Tribal Welfare Department, UT Ladakh, Suman Beniwal, District Social Welfare Officer, Syed Jamal, OSD to Commission Secretary, Abid Hussain besides other concerned officers accompanied her during the visit.