The state government is committed to alleviate anaemia and malnutrition from Jharkhand. 

With this Objective the Hemant Soren government is soon going to launch SAAMAR i.e., Strategic Action for Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anaemia Reduction project.

 With the help of this project, the government in the next three years intends to improve maternal and child health indicators in the state concerning the national standard.A 1000 days special mission programme to be launched soonin the State.

To break the evil cycle of malnourishment a life-cycle approach is being taken wherein all pregnant and lactating mothers, children between 6 months and 6 years and women in the reproductive age group between ages 14 to 35 years will be targeted. The Chief Minister Mr. Hemant Soren will personally monitor the growth of the project and the chief secretary will be supervising the developments across the state.

*Baseline Measurement Exercise and Rapid Reporting System*

In a recent meeting with all the stakeholders department the Chief Secretary dwelt upon the plan for implementation of State Nutrition Mission across the state. JSLPS(Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society), ICDS(Integrated Child Development Scheme under WCD) and Health Departments were given directions to do the needful for successful implementation of the Project.

In the first phase the programme will be launched in the five districts, later to be rolled out to all 34,800 Anganwadi Centres across the state. A team comprising the Anganwadi Worker (AWW), Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and a SHG member will be formed at each Anganwadi Centre to conduct the baseline survey. The baseline survey will help in the identification of the malnourished and anaemic children and women in the state.

*Digital Survey System*

The baseline survey will be conducted digitally using an app specially built for smartphones. The Survey team will visit every household under the purview of the Anganwadi Centre and identify malnourished and anaemic women and children using visual tests against a symptom list, as well as collect pertinent social security related data from the household.
All respondents exhibiting symptoms will be summoned to the nearest Anganwadi Centre for a formal check-up and on confirmation of malnourishment or anaemia, pertinent action will be taken in accordance to the guidelines.All Children suffering from critical malnutrition will be taken to nearest Health Center for better treatment.

*Capacity building and Training of all the concerned human resource*

Prior to sending all the human resources on the ground, a block level workshop for the capacity building of all the AWWs, ASHA worker, ANMs and SHG member will be conducted . Another training workshop for all the sector supervisors, CDPOs, DSWOs will be held at District level in the presence of Deputy Commissioners of the Districts.
Sector Supervisors will be first-level officials for monitoring the project in the respective regions. During the capacity building workshop, all the participants will be trained to observe potential cases and use the app for data collection. During the survey, the team will also distribute pamphlets to every household with the information related to the symptoms of malnutrition and anaemia.

*A dedicated dashboard for monitoring of growth*

There are many dashboards operational across the state which collects information related to Nutrition, Health, Malnutrition related information but one dashboard with all necessary information and data related to this broad issue prevailing in the state is missing. To resolve this issue, the Chief Minister will also launch a dedicated dashboard with artificial intelligence feature for growth monitoring of the project and indicators.

All the data collected as part of the exercise will feed into the Integrated ‘Chief Minister’s Nutrition Dashboard’. It is being designed in a manner that data can be viewed from the macro-level of the state up-to the micro-level of an individual. It will not only help in the intensive review performance of the district, but it will also provide an insight into the real gap on the ground which needs to be addressed as per the priority.

*Indicators to be improved*

With the launch of this project, the government aims at improving maternal and child health indicators in the state, while reducing malnourishment cases like stunting, wasting and anaemia. It will also help in reducing Maternal death during pregnancy, Neonatal deaths and several other issues related to maternal and child health. Provisions for new MTCs and Dietary allowance for adolescent girls proposed

The Chief Secretary of the state has also directed the Health Department to do a departmental survey related to the availability of MTC beds in the state and revamp the existing infrastructure.

Apart from this, Anganwadi centres with cases of malnutrition and anaemia will be equipped with Kitchen Garden with the convergence of MGNREGA.

Women & Child Development department and Social Justice has been directed to work out and propose a dietary allowance plan for the adolescent girls suffering from malnutrition and anaemia.