TS government to distribute 2.5 lakh nutrition kits in 9 districts

Hyderabad: The government will begin distribution of about 2.5 lakh KCR Nutrition Kits to pregnant women in nine districts from Wednesday. The kits are aimed at improving the nutritional status of pregnant women, especially those who suffer from anaemia, and the nine chosen districts have a high prevalence of anaemia.

Health minister T Harish Rao will virtually launch the distribution at Kamareddy district while Ministers, MLAs and other public representatives will participate in the programme in the other eight districts. The government is spending a sum of Rs 50 crore for the initiative.

The nine districts where the kits will be distributed are Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Jogulamba Gadwal, Kamareddy, Kumrambheem Asifabad, Mulugu, Nagarkurnool and Vikarabad. As per estimates, about 1.25 lakh pregnant women will benefit from the Kits.

Each Nutrition Kit contains a kg of nutrition mix powder, a kg of dates, three bottles of iron supplementing syrup, half kg of ghee, an Albendazole tablet, a cup and a plastic basket. The aim of the initiative is to reduce the prevalence of anaemia by increasing haemoglobin percentage in the womens’ blood by providing them the required nutrition.

The Kits will be given once during the second ANC (Antenatal Care) check-up between 13 and 27 weeks and a second time during the third ANC checkup between 28 and 34 weeks. The kits will be distributed in 231 health centres in nine districts.

District                               Percentage anaemia prevalence

Adilabad                             72
Bhadradri Kothagudem      75
Jayashankar Bhupalpally    66
Jogulamba Gadwal             82
Kumrambheem                  83
Mulugu                              73
Nagarkurnool                    73
Kamareddy                        76
Vikarabad                           79