Help us Eradicate Malnutrition

Last Updated: 21/01/2023

Project Pitch By: Dr. M. L. Dhawale Trust

Proposed Project Title

Thematic Area

Eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition, promoting health care, sanitation & safe drinking water

Sub Thematic Area

Hunger & Malnutrition

Project Synopsis

While India has made progress on many fronts, is 5th largest economy in the world, growing number of millionaires and billionaires et al, it is ironical that at the same time we rank very low in all human development indices, hunger index, malnutrition index etc. Mere 70 kilometres away from bustling Mumbai, in Palghar, our area of intervention, 40% + children are malnourished, stunted, wasted and may lead a very sordid life ahead if not brought out of it. Our unique program based on (a) rebuilding internal system of children before they attain 6 years of age through homoeopathy and (b) training mothers to cook nutritious food using locally grown ingredients, is showing excellent results. In last six years we have achieved significant and visible improvement in more than 65% of children. Following the adage, prevention is better than cure, we are simultaneously working towards reducing malnutrition at birth itself.

Overview of the Proposed Project

Estimated Budget

INR 0.3 Cr - INR 0.6 Cr

Proposed Location

Bhopoli

Key Project Partners

Gram Panchayat

Project Status

Active

Facts

Beneficiary Type (Primary): Children

Beneficiary Type (Secondary): Women

Estimated No. of Beneficiaries: 1000 and above Families

Status of Baseline Survey: Already Done

Download the Detailed Proposal

Proposed Project Description

Malnutrition does not need any introduction. The data on this subject has been published & discussed often. Several Government & Non-Government schemes later, Maharashtra has 35.4% children with stunted growth, 18.6% wasting and 25.2% are underweight. Undoubtedly, this is a serious health problem. Malnutrition is a state of deprivation and it affects various aspects of children’s development, unfortunately retarding physical and intellectual growth forever. These children are more prone to infections, further increasing the probability of malnutrition and even death.

Our modus operandi to tackle this menace is:

work with adolescent girls to reduce anaemia, as they are the mothers of tomorro
work with newly married couples and make them aware of planning for healthy pregnanc
ensure that every pregnant women gets 100% Antenatal care to help her deliver a healty bab
train the women on proper breastfeeding, child hygiene and importance of nutritio
monitor the child from birth till 6 years of age on WHO defined guidelines for malnutritio
Refer Severely malnourished children to Government centre (as per law
Create a detail case definition of moderately malnourished child and define a treatment pla
Train the mother recipes using of locally grown ingredients (& help create a kitchen garden for her) with high nutritious content
Monitor the child monthly to ensure that s/he is on growth path. If not, take corrective action.

Salient Features

Prevent Malnourishment at birth
Enhance internal system rather than external supplements
Work consistently until 6 years of age

About Dr. M. L. Dhawale Trust

The Dr M L Dhawale Memorial Trust was established in 1987, after the untimely demise of Dr. M. L. Dhawale, an M.D who was a practicing Homoeopath. The Trust has been providing health care services to the under-served for last thirty years. Starting with one clinic in 1987, the Trust has now expanded to 3 hospitals, 12 rural clinics, 14 urban clinics and 2 mobile clinics, presently treating close to 200,000 patients per year.

The flagship project at all our hospitals is Mother & Child care. Majority of the women are underweight, overworked and anaemic. Consequently they bear undernourished children and the cycle of malnutrition continues.

After 12 years of consistent efforts on this project we are proud to say that