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Poshaan Maah: In a first, Chandigarh to screen anganwadi children for diabetes
As a part of a survey, the Chandigarh health department will screen 50,000 children (under the age of five) from 450 Anganwadis across UT; the survey also aims to ensure 100% immunisation coverage of the children; in four areas of the city, the health department had found 224 children out of 11,000 approx screened for malnutrition last year.
To mark the month-long ‘Poshan Abhiyan’, which commenced on Thursday, the UT health department has started screening children in Anganwadis for malnutrition, anaemia and other diseases. However, in a first-of-its-kind initiative, the health department will also check the prevalence of diabetes among the children.
As a part of the survey, the health department will screen as many as 50,000 registered children under the age of 5, from the 450 Anganwadis across UT.
“The country is celebrating its fifth ‘Poshan Maah’ this September to achieve improvement in the status of nutrition of children and women. In a pan-India initiative, the health department will check the prevalence of juvenile diabetic patients, among the children in Anganwadis, for the first time. Anemia and malnutrition level of children will also be checked in the month-long campaign. Besides, anaemia and health checkups for adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating women, and children below the age of six, will also be organised,” said Dr Suman Singh, director, health services Chandigarh.
The survey also aims to ensure 100% immunisation coverage of the children.
Dr Singh added, “Most of the children registered in Anganwadis belong from rural areas and are from weaker sections of society. These children are usually found to be undernourished whereas in urban areas, the children are mostly over-nourished and obese. The lifestyle diseases including diabetes and hypertension are increasing among the adults and children of Chandigarh. Though juvenile diabetes is not common, the screening will help in identifying patients at an early stage and providing them the required treatment.”
The UT health department will refer malnourished children with complications or co-morbidities to the Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre at Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16.
In four areas of the city, the health department had found 224 children out of 11,000 approx screened for malnutrition last year.
“The campaign also aims to impart awareness on the intake of adequate nutritious foods, use of local/home-based fortification of diets, promotion of personal hygiene and healthy practices, and other health related matters,” DHS added.
‘Diabetes in children belwo 5 not common: PGI experts’
Dr Sanjay Kumar Bhadada, professor and HOD, endocrinology, PGIMER, said, “Diabetes among infants, toddlers and young children is not common. Those suffering have Type-1 diabetes, which depicts symptoms such as being very thirsty, being very hungry, urinating or bedwetting more, losing weight and others. Only 15 of the 3,000 children, who are suffering from diabetes and get consultation from PGI, are below the age of five.”
National survey findings in Chandigarh
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, the survey conducted by the union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from 2019-21 on population, health, and nutrition for India and each state or UT, had revealed in May this year that 54.6% of children (till 5 years of age) in Chandigarh are anaemic. Also, 8% of children under the age of 5 were acutely undernourished (wasted) while 2.3% were severely wasted. Around 20% of children under age of five were underweight while around 2% were overweight.
