Port Blair, Nov. 15: The District Administration through its District Health Society, South Andaman has conducted training on Home Based Young Child Care (HBYC) in coordination with Directorate of Health Services and Union Territory Health Mission, A & N Islands on 15.11.2023, wherein 90Nos of ASHA workers of South Andaman District have been trained. HBYC shall ensure the continuum of care from the time of birth and help us meet the objective for adequate complementary feeding, growth monitoring, vaccinations and sickness related counselling in early childhood.
Ms. Veditha Reddy, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman has inaugurated the HBYC training in presence of Shri Dilkhush Meena, IAS, Additional District Magistrate, South Andaman and Dr. Suja Anthony, Director of Health Services. The Deputy Commissioner asked the participated ASHA workers that being a community level worker, this training will upkeep their skill to deliver the home based health care services to the young child. Further, she added that Undernutrition makes children in particular much more vulnerable to disease and death. Hence, this initiative must improve the health indicators among the children of these Islands such as wasting, stunting, underweight, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals by conducting proper screening and monitoring under Home Based Young Child Care.
Additional District Magistrate, South Andaman asked the ASHA workers to avail the benefits of HBYC training and also asked to share their views & issues in terms of the health facilities in the field level, so that District Health Society & Health Department will address the same.
Director of Health Services also informed that under HBYC ASHA worker will visit home starting from 3 months and continuing in second year till 15 months to plug the gap between health system contacts with family and provide platform to improve child nutrition, immunization, development, hygiene practices and reduce common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
Earlier, Dr. Swetha, GDMO (RBSK) welcomed the gathering and Shri. B. Nagendra, District Programme Manager, DHS (SA) has concluded the training with the vote of thanks to the dignitaries and participants attended.