Bridging the Malnutrition Gap: The Potth Laika Abhiyaan Story

In the heartland of Chhattisgarh's Bemetara District, a silent battle against malnutrition is being fought, not with extravagant budgets or complex interventions, but with a simple yet powerful tool: nutrition counselling. The Potth Laika Abhiyaan, meaning "Healthy Child Mission" in the local Chhattisgarhi language, has emerged as a beacon of hope in a region paradoxically marred by affluence but plagued by malnutrition.

"In the pursuit of eradicating malnutrition, simplicity is our greatest ally. We've learned that the most effective solutions are often the simplest ones," says Suruchi Singh, an Indian Administrative Services Officer of the Chhattisgarh Cadre, who played a pivotal role in the success of Potth Laika Abhiyaan.

To develop a Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategy and build the capacity of field staff for Potth Laika Abhiyaan, Job Zachariah, Chief, UNICEF Chhattisgarh emphasized the importance of investing in knowledge and skill development. He noted, "Effective SBCC is the cornerstone of any nutrition intervention. It's not just about providing food but also about empowering communities with the knowledge and tools to make informed choices."

In Bemetara, where fertile plains and agricultural wealth coexist with alarmingly high rates of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), the problem is not access to food but the lack of knowledge about proper eating and feeding practices. The Potth Laika Abhiyaan, implemented in collaboration with UNICEF, Chhattisgarh, took a unique approach to tackle this issue head-on.

The program focused on training grassroots health and women and child development workers in nutrition counselling. Every Friday, parents of SAM and Medium Acute Malnourished (MAM) children were brought together to learn in simple Chhattisgarhi language about the importance of a balanced diet, regular handwashing, and various tips for a healthy lifestyle. Harmful dietary myths and superstitions were dispelled during these sessions, while local leaders actively participated in the counselling process. Door-to-door monitoring of the children's progress ensured accountability and success.

The results were nothing short of remarkable. In just nine months, from December 2022 to July 2023, Potth Laika Abhiyaan helped elevate 53.77% of targeted children out of malnutrition, including 61.5% of MAM children and 14.67% of SAM children. Comparatively, in a control group of 20 AWCs where the mission was not implemented, only 30.6% of children saw improvements.

What's even more astonishing is that Potth Laika Abhiyaan achieved these significant results at zero additional cost. With only a few training sessions and regular monitoring, it demonstrated that effective nutrition interventions don't necessarily require massive budgets. The success of Potth Laika Abhiyaan underscores the importance of nutrition counselling as a complementary strategy to providing food assistance. It's a model that should be replicated on a larger scale across states and districts, marrying the act of providing food to the needy with education and monitoring. Only then can we hope to inch closer to realizing the ambitious yet noble dream of a "Kuposhan Mukt Bharat" a Malnutrition-free India.