Nutrition awareness camp held at Dikchu PHC

WANGCHUK BHUTIADIKCHU, 29 Nov: The Nutrition Cell, Social Justice Empowerment & Welfare Department, organized a Nutrition awareness camp for Dzongu ICDS staff at Dikchu, PHC in North Sikkim on 28 November.
The ICDS Officers informed about child care, infant and mother’s health and balanced diet with proper nutrition according to their health conditions and the amount of calories to be consumed.
It was also informed that, there should be a gap of at least 3 years between the first and second pregnancy. On July 14 2011, SABLA scheme (Project) was launched for supplementary food distribution for both child and mother by the Government of India, they further informed.
MO, Dikchu PHC, Dr. Mohan Thapa in his address imparted information on maternity, child care, HIV/AIDS and Multi Drugs Resistance (MDR) Tuberculosis and its prevention.
The Panchayat , Sangtok ward, informed that, in Dzongu a lot of girls between classes VI to VIII are misguided and lack proper awareness due to which a large number of under-age marriages can be seen.  So, it is the mother’s responsibility to educate their girl child on the proper age for marriage, he added.
The chief guest, Panchayat Secretary, Lum Gor Santok, Tashi Lepcha, in his address informed that, the Nutrition Cell of the Social Justice Empowerment & Welfare Department is conducting several awareness programmes for the benefit of adolescent girls and mothers but the effect of awareness programmes is seen to be very low and the public themselves are responsible for this.
So, the people need to use this information in their lives for better results, he added. The Government is providing so many awareness and centrally sponsored schemes for the people and they should make use and share the information within the community, he further said.
The programme was also attended by AD Nutrition cell, Sonam Palmu,  CDPO Dzongu, Hissey Ongmu Lepcha, Panchayat Sangtok, Dawa Lepcha & panchayat President Lum Gor-Sangtok, Supervisor ICDS Department, Netuk Lepcha, members of ASHA, ICDS teachers, school mothers and students.