Thursday, November 29, 2012
Different whistleblowers, these! .
The Pioneer, Bhopal : Children and some elders are trying to stop people from going for open defecation in several villages in Budhni block, Sehore district of State. Over half of the villages in the block are now open defecation free and people are using private toilets with the support of these ‘whistle blowers’, writes TEAM VIVA
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/109674-different-whistleblowers-these-.html
They are the whistle blowers but of a different kind. In the wee hours of morning, for several months, children accompanied by some of the elders of the community blew whistles, loud and clear, in several villages in Budhni block in Sehore district of the State.
These whistle blowers were trying to stop people from going for open defecation as the block administration supported by UNICEF took the challenge of making these villages open defecation free.
“Today, if over half of the villages in this block are open defecation free and people are using private toilets, the credit, to a large extent, goes to the children from these villages,” says Chief Executive Officer of Budhni block Ajit Tiwari.
Panchayat Coordination Officer from the same block Dinesh Raikwar, explained how these whistle blowers worked, “There were areas in every village where people used to defecate openly especially during early morning hours. The children in villages formed groups and kept a watch on such areas.”
“If we found anyone defecating in the open, we would start blowing whistles. This alerted other villagers who pulled up those open defecators,” said Amir Khan, a teenager who was active member of one such group in Pilikrar village of Budhni block.
Pilikrar village, like so many other villages in the Block, has managed to become completely open defecation free under the community led total sanitation (CLTS) approach supported by UNICEF. The village has 240 households out of which 129 are below poverty line.
“Even the BPL families did not hesitate in setting up private toilets at their own expense initially because they realised that open defecation is leading to serious health problems,” said the local ASHA worker Sunita Ivne who also informed that the number of diarrhoea cases affecting children has gone down considerably ever since the village became open defecation free end of last year.
Fifty-year-old Manibai, a resident of Pilikrar village fully agrees: “I have two grandchildren. Earlier they used to fall sick regularly but now they haven’t fallen sick for almost a year ever since the village became open defecation free.”
“What has been done in those villages is to motivate the communities for themselves to lead the process of rendering their villages ODF, so to ensure that their villages remain sanitised in a sustainable manner,” explains UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist Gregor von Medeazza.
“Children being an important part of the community played a key role in this regard. There were several villages where children motivated their families to build their own private toilets,” he added.
“We explain to even smaller children at Anganwadi Centres, why open defecation should not be done. Children go back to their families and are often able to convince their own parents to stop doing that. The role played by children of all age groups is very important in this regard,” says Anganwadi worker at Pilikrar village Kiran Malwi.
“The majority of the 138 villages of Budhni block are now in the process of becoming Open Defecation Free, with over half of them which have already reached their target in eliminating Open Defecation, and all this could be made possible because of the unique approach of Community Led Total Sanitation in which children played a decisive role,” Tiwari said.
The target is to make the block 100 per cent open defecation free in 2013, he added.
Over 70 per cent in Madhya Pradesh defecate in open: Census
According to the Census 2011 data on houses, household amenities and assets of Madhya Pradesh, more than 70 per cent families in the State defecate in the open, even as the number of mobile/telephone users has gone up by 920 per cent in the last decade.
The report was released by the Director of Census Operation Sachin Sinha. The report says 71.2 percent families in Madhya Pradesh have no toilet facility at their premises as against 28.2 per cent families who have lavatories at their residences.
The percentage of families lacking the basic facility has, however, come down marginally from 76 per cent as was the case in 2001 enumeration.
As far as bathroom facility is concerned, the report says that only 25.8 percent families have enclosed bathrooms while 21.4 per cent have them without any roof over it.
On drainage front, 30.1 per cent of population use open drainage, while 60.1 percent families have no facility for drainage whereas only 9.8 per cent families have this facility in their houses.
The issue of enclosed toilets in Madhya Pradesh recently hogged limelight when a tribal woman, Anita Narre, virtually risked her marriage by refusing to return to her husband’s place as it lacked the facility.
The number of mobile/telephone users has gone up by 920 per cent in the last decade with 46 per cent families now using them for communication.
Madhya Pradesh to be free from open defecation in the next five years
In October the Union minister for drinking water and sanitation Jairam Ramesh said that all villages in Madhya Pradesh will become free from open defecation in the next five years. He was speaking at Nirmal Bharat Yatra programme at Devguraria in Indore.
“MP has 23,000 gram Panchayats out of which 7300 gram Panchayats will be made free from open defecation in the next one year and entire state will be free from open defecation in the next five years,” he said.
Sikkim has become first state of the country to become free from open defecation while Kerala and Himachal Pradesh will be next state to become free from open defecation in next few months.
Ramesh said that a majority of gram panchayats that have received ‘Nirmal gram award’ from the President are not ‘Nirmal’ (clean) ones. Every year union government gives away ‘Nirmal gram award’ to gram panchayats for adopting hygienic practices.
Ramesh said that until now, 2100 gram panchayats have got ‘Nirmal gram award’. “I cannot say the exact number of gram panchayats that have received the award by manipulation, but I can only say for sure that number is huge,” said Ramesh adding that there was a large number of gram panchayats that have got the award. But people hailing from those gram panchayats still defecate in the open. He added that a gram panchayat is nirmal only when women do not have to go in the open for defecation.
He further said that earlier toilets were constructed for Rs 3500, so one can easily understand about their quality. The toilets which were constructed are no more in use. Keeping it in mind, now union government has increased the fund for toilet to Rs 10,000 out of which Rs 4500 will come from MGNERGA. However, the fund will be given only when money will be used for constructing toilets and one ensures its use by his family members.
“A separate allocation will be made for the house headed by widow and handicapped,” said Ramesh adding that along with BPL families now a special category will be created for family headed by widow and handicapped.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/109674-different-whistleblowers-these-.html
They are the whistle blowers but of a different kind. In the wee hours of morning, for several months, children accompanied by some of the elders of the community blew whistles, loud and clear, in several villages in Budhni block in Sehore district of the State.
These whistle blowers were trying to stop people from going for open defecation as the block administration supported by UNICEF took the challenge of making these villages open defecation free.
“Today, if over half of the villages in this block are open defecation free and people are using private toilets, the credit, to a large extent, goes to the children from these villages,” says Chief Executive Officer of Budhni block Ajit Tiwari.
Panchayat Coordination Officer from the same block Dinesh Raikwar, explained how these whistle blowers worked, “There were areas in every village where people used to defecate openly especially during early morning hours. The children in villages formed groups and kept a watch on such areas.”
“If we found anyone defecating in the open, we would start blowing whistles. This alerted other villagers who pulled up those open defecators,” said Amir Khan, a teenager who was active member of one such group in Pilikrar village of Budhni block.
Pilikrar village, like so many other villages in the Block, has managed to become completely open defecation free under the community led total sanitation (CLTS) approach supported by UNICEF. The village has 240 households out of which 129 are below poverty line.
“Even the BPL families did not hesitate in setting up private toilets at their own expense initially because they realised that open defecation is leading to serious health problems,” said the local ASHA worker Sunita Ivne who also informed that the number of diarrhoea cases affecting children has gone down considerably ever since the village became open defecation free end of last year.
Fifty-year-old Manibai, a resident of Pilikrar village fully agrees: “I have two grandchildren. Earlier they used to fall sick regularly but now they haven’t fallen sick for almost a year ever since the village became open defecation free.”
“What has been done in those villages is to motivate the communities for themselves to lead the process of rendering their villages ODF, so to ensure that their villages remain sanitised in a sustainable manner,” explains UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist Gregor von Medeazza.
“Children being an important part of the community played a key role in this regard. There were several villages where children motivated their families to build their own private toilets,” he added.
“We explain to even smaller children at Anganwadi Centres, why open defecation should not be done. Children go back to their families and are often able to convince their own parents to stop doing that. The role played by children of all age groups is very important in this regard,” says Anganwadi worker at Pilikrar village Kiran Malwi.
“The majority of the 138 villages of Budhni block are now in the process of becoming Open Defecation Free, with over half of them which have already reached their target in eliminating Open Defecation, and all this could be made possible because of the unique approach of Community Led Total Sanitation in which children played a decisive role,” Tiwari said.
The target is to make the block 100 per cent open defecation free in 2013, he added.
Over 70 per cent in Madhya Pradesh defecate in open: Census
According to the Census 2011 data on houses, household amenities and assets of Madhya Pradesh, more than 70 per cent families in the State defecate in the open, even as the number of mobile/telephone users has gone up by 920 per cent in the last decade.
The report was released by the Director of Census Operation Sachin Sinha. The report says 71.2 percent families in Madhya Pradesh have no toilet facility at their premises as against 28.2 per cent families who have lavatories at their residences.
The percentage of families lacking the basic facility has, however, come down marginally from 76 per cent as was the case in 2001 enumeration.
As far as bathroom facility is concerned, the report says that only 25.8 percent families have enclosed bathrooms while 21.4 per cent have them without any roof over it.
On drainage front, 30.1 per cent of population use open drainage, while 60.1 percent families have no facility for drainage whereas only 9.8 per cent families have this facility in their houses.
The issue of enclosed toilets in Madhya Pradesh recently hogged limelight when a tribal woman, Anita Narre, virtually risked her marriage by refusing to return to her husband’s place as it lacked the facility.
The number of mobile/telephone users has gone up by 920 per cent in the last decade with 46 per cent families now using them for communication.
Madhya Pradesh to be free from open defecation in the next five years
In October the Union minister for drinking water and sanitation Jairam Ramesh said that all villages in Madhya Pradesh will become free from open defecation in the next five years. He was speaking at Nirmal Bharat Yatra programme at Devguraria in Indore.
“MP has 23,000 gram Panchayats out of which 7300 gram Panchayats will be made free from open defecation in the next one year and entire state will be free from open defecation in the next five years,” he said.
Sikkim has become first state of the country to become free from open defecation while Kerala and Himachal Pradesh will be next state to become free from open defecation in next few months.
Ramesh said that a majority of gram panchayats that have received ‘Nirmal gram award’ from the President are not ‘Nirmal’ (clean) ones. Every year union government gives away ‘Nirmal gram award’ to gram panchayats for adopting hygienic practices.
Ramesh said that until now, 2100 gram panchayats have got ‘Nirmal gram award’. “I cannot say the exact number of gram panchayats that have received the award by manipulation, but I can only say for sure that number is huge,” said Ramesh adding that there was a large number of gram panchayats that have got the award. But people hailing from those gram panchayats still defecate in the open. He added that a gram panchayat is nirmal only when women do not have to go in the open for defecation.
He further said that earlier toilets were constructed for Rs 3500, so one can easily understand about their quality. The toilets which were constructed are no more in use. Keeping it in mind, now union government has increased the fund for toilet to Rs 10,000 out of which Rs 4500 will come from MGNERGA. However, the fund will be given only when money will be used for constructing toilets and one ensures its use by his family members.
“A separate allocation will be made for the house headed by widow and handicapped,” said Ramesh adding that along with BPL families now a special category will be created for family headed by widow and handicapped.
Friday, August 3, 2012
मप्र में स्तनपान जागरूकता अभियान शुरू
मध्य प्रदेश स्तनपान को प्रोत्साहित करने के लिए महिला एवं बाल विकास विभाग, स्वास्थ्य विभाग और बच्चों के लिए काम करने वाली संस्था यूनिसेफ ने मिलकर बुधवार को स्तनपान जागरूकता अभियान की शुरुआत की। यह अभियान 37 दिनों का है। इस अभियान के दौरान विशेषज्ञ बच्चों को जन्म देने वाली महिलाओं को परामर्श दे रहे हैं।
अभियान के पहले दिन विशेषज्ञों का एक दल भोपाल के बैरागढ़ के सरकारी अस्पताल में पहुंचा। यहां एक महिला नीतू ने अपनी पहली संतान को जन्म दिया। बच्चे के जन्म की खबर मिलते ही वहां मौजूद विशेषज्ञ महिला के पास पहुंचे और उसे स्तनपान का महत्व बताया। नीतू भी उनकी बात से सहमत थी और यही कारण है कि उसने अपनी बेटी को जन्म के एक घंटे के भीतर ही स्तनपान कराया।
विशेषज्ञों ने नीतू से कहा कि अगर वह अपनी बेटी को तंदुरुस्त रखना चाहती है तो उसे लगातार छह माह तक स्तनपान कराना चाहिए। साथ ही उसे बताया गया कि पहले घंटे से छह माह तक स्तनपान कराने से बच्चे के लिए जरूरी पौष्टिक तत्व, विटामिन व खनिज की पूर्ति हो सकती है।
उल्लेखनीय है कि राज्य में 61.5 फीसदी महिलाएं नवजात को जन्म के एक घंटे के भीतर स्तनपान कराती हैं, मगर छह माह तक यह सिलसिला जारी नहीं रखतीं। अगर छह माह तक स्तनपान कराने वाली महिलाओं पर नजर दौड़ाएं तो पता चलता है कि ऐसी महिलाओं की संख्या सिर्फ 37 फीसदी है।
राज्य में महिलाओं को स्तनपान से होने वाले लाभों का ब्योरा देने के लिए 37 दिन की कार्ययोजना बनाई गई है। इस अवधि में तरह-तरह के कार्यक्रम आयोजित कर विशेषज्ञ महिलाओं को स्तनपान की खूबियां बताएंगे
अभियान के पहले दिन विशेषज्ञों का एक दल भोपाल के बैरागढ़ के सरकारी अस्पताल में पहुंचा। यहां एक महिला नीतू ने अपनी पहली संतान को जन्म दिया। बच्चे के जन्म की खबर मिलते ही वहां मौजूद विशेषज्ञ महिला के पास पहुंचे और उसे स्तनपान का महत्व बताया। नीतू भी उनकी बात से सहमत थी और यही कारण है कि उसने अपनी बेटी को जन्म के एक घंटे के भीतर ही स्तनपान कराया।
विशेषज्ञों ने नीतू से कहा कि अगर वह अपनी बेटी को तंदुरुस्त रखना चाहती है तो उसे लगातार छह माह तक स्तनपान कराना चाहिए। साथ ही उसे बताया गया कि पहले घंटे से छह माह तक स्तनपान कराने से बच्चे के लिए जरूरी पौष्टिक तत्व, विटामिन व खनिज की पूर्ति हो सकती है।
उल्लेखनीय है कि राज्य में 61.5 फीसदी महिलाएं नवजात को जन्म के एक घंटे के भीतर स्तनपान कराती हैं, मगर छह माह तक यह सिलसिला जारी नहीं रखतीं। अगर छह माह तक स्तनपान कराने वाली महिलाओं पर नजर दौड़ाएं तो पता चलता है कि ऐसी महिलाओं की संख्या सिर्फ 37 फीसदी है।
राज्य में महिलाओं को स्तनपान से होने वाले लाभों का ब्योरा देने के लिए 37 दिन की कार्ययोजना बनाई गई है। इस अवधि में तरह-तरह के कार्यक्रम आयोजित कर विशेषज्ञ महिलाओं को स्तनपान की खूबियां बताएंगे
Breastfeeding helps save children
India Blooms News Service : ‘Cries of a babies, odour of phenyl (used for disinfecting the floor), bright sunlight emitting from windows, soft voice of video, muffled voice of a women speaking, was the scene at the mother’s ward at the district hospital in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, in central part of India.
Mothers, with their new borns, born within last 48 hours were lying in the ward. ‘On duty’ auxiliary nurse midwife, identified by the typical green saree, part of her dress, was helping a mother to sit and learn ‘kangaroo mother care’, which is a practice of holding a newborn, skin-to-skin (against the mother’s chest) which keep the babies warm and help babies which have low birth-weight to get the needed physiological and psychological bonding. Nurse on another bed was helping a mother to breastfeed her child, as she had problems with early initiation.
About 30 kilometers away in Kolaras community health centre has an attached nutritional rehabilitation centre, which has about 10 admitted women with their children with severe acute malnutrition. Mothers are being advised by Geeta, the feeding demonstrator on how breastfeeding and complementary feeding can help saves lives of their kids and they can fight back undernutrition.
Since mothers stay here at NRC, Geeta gets a lot of time with them to explain and discuss how important is to exclusively breastfeed their child till six months of age and then on completion of six months, how to prepare and feed semi-solid nutritious food with continued breastfeeding to the child till two years of age.
These are simple intervention, technically called as optimal infant and young child feeding practices. As per UNICEF they are lifesaving.
‘First two years of life are most important and are forever. Evidence tells us that if child is exclusive breastfeed till six months and given age-appropriate complementary feeding on completion of six months with continued breastfeeding till two years of age, it can help reduce infant mortality. This is very important in State like Madhya Pradesh which has the highest rates of infant mortality and child undernutrition’ says Aashima Garg, Nutrition Specialist with UNICEF office for Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh state has infant mortality rates of 62 per 1000 live births, meaning that out of every 1000 child born today, 62 will die before their first birthday. This is highest in India.
Survey done by National Institute of Nutrition for Government of Madhya Pradesh in year 2010 reported that 52 % of its children, less then five years of age are underweight.
Madhya Pradesh’s indicators on optimal breastfeeding practices are also alarming with only 43% infants are reported to have initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth and just a third (31%) of the infants aged 6-35 months were exclusively breastfed till 6 months of age as per District level household survey done in year 2007-08.
The findings of recently released Annual Health Survey (2010-11) of Government of India shows promising improvement in the rates of early initiation of breastfeeding (61.5%) but only slight improvement in the rates of exclusive breast feeding (37%), which is alarming for the state.
‘Need is to reach out to all 73 million people of the State with key message of “mothers’ milk in the first six months of life makes children healthier and saves their life” Aashima Garg adds.
First week of August is globally marked as World Breastfeeding Week, bringing in attention to the issue and call on States, civil society organization, and media to propagate the message, which is simple and can help save lives of new borns and infants.
Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Women and Child Development in partnership with Health Department and UNICEF is marking a 37 day special campaign. It starts on Aug 1, 2012 and will continue till National Nutrition week which is marked in Sept.
The campaign will have various activities to be undertaken at village, district, division and state level including contests like drawing, illustrations, slogan writing, quiz proactively using various media channels like print, radio and TV to create awareness on the theme, using sms drive, folk programs at rural areas, Youth groups like National Service Scheme will be undertaking activity based quizzes, contests to propagate message among youth, the future parents.
A special counseling hour will be organized at all health facilities between 11-12 am on Aug 1 to flag the initiation of this 37 days' campaign.
Mothers, with their new borns, born within last 48 hours were lying in the ward. ‘On duty’ auxiliary nurse midwife, identified by the typical green saree, part of her dress, was helping a mother to sit and learn ‘kangaroo mother care’, which is a practice of holding a newborn, skin-to-skin (against the mother’s chest) which keep the babies warm and help babies which have low birth-weight to get the needed physiological and psychological bonding. Nurse on another bed was helping a mother to breastfeed her child, as she had problems with early initiation.
About 30 kilometers away in Kolaras community health centre has an attached nutritional rehabilitation centre, which has about 10 admitted women with their children with severe acute malnutrition. Mothers are being advised by Geeta, the feeding demonstrator on how breastfeeding and complementary feeding can help saves lives of their kids and they can fight back undernutrition.
Since mothers stay here at NRC, Geeta gets a lot of time with them to explain and discuss how important is to exclusively breastfeed their child till six months of age and then on completion of six months, how to prepare and feed semi-solid nutritious food with continued breastfeeding to the child till two years of age.
These are simple intervention, technically called as optimal infant and young child feeding practices. As per UNICEF they are lifesaving.
‘First two years of life are most important and are forever. Evidence tells us that if child is exclusive breastfeed till six months and given age-appropriate complementary feeding on completion of six months with continued breastfeeding till two years of age, it can help reduce infant mortality. This is very important in State like Madhya Pradesh which has the highest rates of infant mortality and child undernutrition’ says Aashima Garg, Nutrition Specialist with UNICEF office for Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh state has infant mortality rates of 62 per 1000 live births, meaning that out of every 1000 child born today, 62 will die before their first birthday. This is highest in India.
Survey done by National Institute of Nutrition for Government of Madhya Pradesh in year 2010 reported that 52 % of its children, less then five years of age are underweight.
Madhya Pradesh’s indicators on optimal breastfeeding practices are also alarming with only 43% infants are reported to have initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth and just a third (31%) of the infants aged 6-35 months were exclusively breastfed till 6 months of age as per District level household survey done in year 2007-08.
The findings of recently released Annual Health Survey (2010-11) of Government of India shows promising improvement in the rates of early initiation of breastfeeding (61.5%) but only slight improvement in the rates of exclusive breast feeding (37%), which is alarming for the state.
‘Need is to reach out to all 73 million people of the State with key message of “mothers’ milk in the first six months of life makes children healthier and saves their life” Aashima Garg adds.
First week of August is globally marked as World Breastfeeding Week, bringing in attention to the issue and call on States, civil society organization, and media to propagate the message, which is simple and can help save lives of new borns and infants.
Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Women and Child Development in partnership with Health Department and UNICEF is marking a 37 day special campaign. It starts on Aug 1, 2012 and will continue till National Nutrition week which is marked in Sept.
The campaign will have various activities to be undertaken at village, district, division and state level including contests like drawing, illustrations, slogan writing, quiz proactively using various media channels like print, radio and TV to create awareness on the theme, using sms drive, folk programs at rural areas, Youth groups like National Service Scheme will be undertaking activity based quizzes, contests to propagate message among youth, the future parents.
A special counseling hour will be organized at all health facilities between 11-12 am on Aug 1 to flag the initiation of this 37 days' campaign.
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