Success-Stories-on-Health-Sector

guJarat
nutrition rEHabilitation CEntrE (nrC) For
malnourisHED CHilDrEn
ProblEm statEmEnt
Severe malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost onethird
of under-five deaths in children in Gujarat. Around
44.6 per cent of Gujarat’s children are underweight, 51.7 percent
are stunted and 18.7 percent of children are wasted as per the
NFHS-3 report.
ProgrammE DEsCriPtion
The “Mission Balam Sukham” was hence conceptualised
to provide an enabling mechanism to the different key
departments in the State to converge together under one
umbrella and undertake concerned efforts to address and
improve the nutritional status of the targeted population in
Gujarat. The “Mission Balam Sukham” is expected to focus on
both i.e. preventive and curative aspects, preventive aspects are
looked after by Department of Women and Child Development
(DWCD) whereas curative aspect by Health department.
The programme was launched on 18th September 2012 with
an aim to combat malnutrition across the State. The State has
initiated a 3-tier approach for the management of children with
SAM through the establishment of Nutrition Rehabilitation
Centres (nRCs) at the district level, Child Malnutrition Centres
(CMTCs) at the sub-district level, and Village Child Nutrition
Centres (VCNCs) at the village/community level.
ProgrammE outComEs
facility
Type
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 (upto Nov)
No. of children treated no. of
children
gained weight
no. of
children
treated
no. of
children
gained weight
no. of
children
treated
No. of children
gained weight
CMTC 705 612 (86.8%) 7161 6511 (90.92%) 7520 6987(92.91%)
nRC 218 165 (75.7%) 2070 1760 (85.02%) 2130 1980 (92.95%)
Rural/Urban Rural (Tribal)
Population
covered
Sector
Evaluation
Cost
Website
not provided (Target
population is all
pregnant women in
Tribal Blocks of State)
Public
not provided
not provided
not available
Since 2013, “Mission Balam Sukham” has been handed over
to the WCD Department. The curative aspect of this mission
CMTC/nRC is run by the Health Department, which focuses
on a 2-tier approach for integrated management of malnutrition
through Facility base management at different levels (NRC/
CMTC). Community base management at anganwadi level has
been done by the WCD Department.
Gujarat has 124 Balsanjivani Kendras(NRC)/Balseva Kendras
(CMTC) to treat the malnourished and severely malnourished
children at the facility level.
The focus is now on rolling out of IYCF practices – Nation Iron
Plus initiative (Life cycle approach to combat anaemia) and
strengthening of Facility-based management of children with
Severe Acute Malnourishment (SAM) children.
122 | Making a Difference : good, Replicable and innovative Practices