Centre launches protocol to manage malnutrition in children at Anganwadi

• Recently, the Centre launched a standardised national protocol to identify and provide extensive care to malnourished children in the country
• It includes fresh initiatives like appetite testing and “buddy mother” concept.

The protocol provides detailed 10-step guidelines for

• The identification and management of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) at the Anganwadi level,
  • including decision-making for referral, nutritional management and follow-up care.
• The processes that needed to for a healthy weight
• The comprehensive norms on dietary requirements for various levels of malnutrition among children.
• After the identification of children through growth monitoring data, appetite tests will be done on all SAM children for medical complications.
• SAM children who fail the appetite test will be referred to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centres, which will also be linked to medical centres.
• The protocol also includes unique initiatives like the “Buddy mother” concept which was first used in the state of Assam.
• Under this scheme, the mother of a healthy baby guides the mother of a malnourished child at an Angandwadi centre every week.

Prelims Takeaway

• buddy mother