Health is of primary concern to all of us. So it is the primary concern of the government as well. Most of the people fall sick in our country because either they do not get enough food to eat or the little do they get is not nutritious.
Surveys conducted by the State Nutrition and the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau have revealed that the protein calorie malnutrition and deficiency diseases are prevalent in large sections of the population. The most affected are young children, pregnant and lactating mothers.
The main reason of ill-health of children is that women do not get nutritious food during pregnancies. If they are given nutritious food the children born will be healthy and would resist diseases.
Image Source: wri.org
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Generally, the women belonging to the poorer sections of the society do not get nutritious food. They give birth to weak children. Some of them are already sick. Others fall ill because they do not get nutritious food.
There are certain caterogies of food and other vegetables containing Vitamin ‘A’ which are helpful to check blindness. If these things are used by the people, blindness can be avoided to a large extent.
The central government is implementing nutrition programmes. Important programmes are: School Mid-day Meal Programme for pre-school children and pregnant and lactating mothers. Two crore children and mothers are proposed to be covered by this programme during the Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85).
ADVERTISEMENTS:
There is another programme called allied Nutrition Programme. Under this programme the population in villages is encouraged and educated for production and consumption of nutritious foods such as leafy vegetables, fruits, fish and eggs.
Another scheme known as the “Integrated Child Care Development Service” has also been introduced. Under the scheme, a package of services such as supplementary nutrition education, family welfare services and safe water supply will be provided to the people in 1000 selected blocks in cities, villages and tribal areas.
To prevent blindness among children due to vitamin-A deficiency in their diet, a dose of vitamin-A is given orally every six months through health centres. During Fifth Plan period about 85 lakh persons were covered by this scheme.
Similarly to prevent nutritional anaemia among woman and children, tablets of iron and folic acid are given, 6 crore mothers and 6 crore children are proposed to be covered during Sixth Five, Year Plan period. At present, the programme covers 2.4 crore mothers and children annually.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, and the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta are the principal organisations in India for nutrition research and training of nutrition workers.
In order to check food adulteration the government has enacted the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
From the above details it is clear that the problem of food nutrition is very grave in the country. If the population is allowed to grow speedily it will become still worst.
We will have more unhealthy people. People will suffer and ultimately the development of the nation will suffer greatly.