PUDUCHERRY: A total of 40,000 children in the age group of 1-3 years would be covered under the Nutritional Supplement scheme to be launched by the Department of Health and Family Welfare at a Primary Health Centre in Mettupalayam on Monday.Backed with a fund of `12 lakh from the Infant and Young Child Feeding Scheme, it would be implemented under the Puducherry State Health Mission (PSHM).According to PSHM mission director Dr Vijaya Balakandan, the scheme would address the nutritional needs of children in that age group. “It is a critical period when the child switches over from milk to solid food and in the present scenario, their nutritional needs are not well taken care of,” she said.Special clinics to be conducted in the Public Health Centres would help study the health conditions of children in the age group. Undernourished children would be identified by taking into consideration several parameters like height and weight. Following this, the children would be provided the correct requirement of nutritional supplements free of charge, Dr Vijaya said. Initially, such distribution would be undertaken in the Public Health Centress and subsequently, the condition of these children would be monitored through the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) at anganvadis.
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