Anganwadi Centres Highlighted as Pillars of Maternal and Child Care in Dibrugarh

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: The role of communities in strengthening nutrition, maternal and child health and early childhood care came into focus at an 'Angan Milan Sewa' programme held at Betmela in Chabua-Lahowal on Sunday as part of the Sewa Sankalp Abhiyaan and the ninth Rashtriya Poshan Maah.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised collective responsibility in ensuring the health and well-being of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. He urged communities to view Anganwadi Centres not merely as government facilities but as institutions needing active participation from families and society.

"Our Anganwadi, Our Responsibility," Sonowal said, stressing that improving nutrition could not be the responsibility of government agencies alone. He called for greater awareness of balanced nutrition, personal hygiene and preventive healthcare, particularly during pregnancy and early childhood. He also encouraged greater use of locally available nutritious food and promotion of kitchen gardens and POSHAN Vatikas, saying locally grown vegetables could supplement household nutrition. He acknowledged Anganwadi workers, helpers and ASHA workers as an important grassroots link between welfare programmes and communities.

The programme began with a visit to the Betmela Anganwadi Centre and plantation activities at the POSHAN Vatika, where dignitaries interacted with workers, helpers and beneficiaries and reviewed the centre's services.

Dibrugarh District Commissioner Bikram Kairi said the period from pregnancy through a child's early years was crucial for physical and cognitive development and called for sustained attention to the nutritional needs of pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. He highlighted efforts to strengthen Anganwadi Centres as community-based institutions and stressed the need for continued community participation to improve service quality.

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