GPM delivered 17 large boxes of medicines and vitamins this week to treat 256 severely malnourished children in the tribal district of Mokhada. The delivery to the Integrated Child Development Services for the first month of malnutrition treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) infants in remote rural Maharashtra marks the launch of the GPM ‘Bal Balwan – Healthy Child Mission’.
The program was devised in collaboration between GPM and local authorities in response to the COVID-19 lockdown and food crisis that ensued in remote areas of Maharashtra.
Mokhada Government Project Officer Kuldip Jadhav, District Health Officer Doctor Kishor Desale and Local Health Officers Suvarna Patil and Uma Chaudhari were very pleased to receive the life-sustaining medicines that will be delivered to the seven division ‘beats’ of the Mokhada District (Taluka) and prepared for the medicine’s immediate distribution.
"We are most grateful to Gabriel Project for donating these vitamins for 250 SAM and MAM children in the entire Mokhada taluk," said ICDS Project Officer Kuldeep Jadhav. "This will help save the children's lives."
GPM staff Kenneth Dsouza, Thaiza Dias, and Hemant Pawar joined village ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker Maya Gade in the first two home visits and treated two moderately malnourished babies. ASHA workers gave a small nutrition training to the children’s parents directing them on the use of the monthly medicine regimen.
GPM will be monitoring and evaluating the malnutrition program along with government health officials for the upcoming year to treat the 259 children in the district and, hopefully eradicate infant malnutrition in the area.
