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07-Nov-2023-Editorial
November 7, 2023 @ 7:30 am - 11:30 pm
MOTHER, CHILD, AND THE POSHAN TRACKER
The Poshan Tracker, initiated by the Government of India, is revolutionizing nutritional monitoring through a large-scale mobile application. This trailblazing system represents a significant leap forward in global health. Unlike other nutrition monitoring systems worldwide, which are often limited pilots, the Poshan Tracker has achieved universal adoption among nearly 1.3 million Anganwadi workers in India, serving all states and Union territories.
What is Poshan Tracker?
The introduction of the Poshan Tracker signifies the most extensive mobile-based nutrition monitoring system ever implemented within the realm of global health.
This tracker is a centralized, technology-driven platform specifically designed to enhance the transparency and accountability associated with delivering nutritional services, particularly under the newly introduced Poshan 2.0 guidelines.
About POSHAN & POSHAN 2.0 scheme
The POSHAN Scheme, also known as the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment, was introduced by the Government of India in 2018 with the objective of achieving a Malnutrition Free India by 2022.
It was a program initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development aimed at reducing various nutritional deficiencies, including stunting, undernutrition, anemia, and low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3%, and 2% per annum, respectively.
To further enhance the nutritional outcomes, the 2021 Budget announced the introduction of POSHAN 2.0, featuring new guidelines.
Key highlights of POSHAN 2.0:
Focus on the critical 1,000 days from a mother’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday, prioritizing the nutritional needs of women and girls. It stresses fortification and provision of take-home rations to address their nutritional requirements.
Introduction of community-based programs dedicated to combatting severe acute malnutrition.
The new guidelines bring about district-level accountability, incorporating nutrition indicators into the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of District Nutrition/Development Committees (DN/DC).
This step aims to ensure better oversight and commitment to nutritional enhancement at the local level.
Real-time Monitoring of Child Nutrition:
The Poshan Tracker plays a pivotal role in monitoring child nutrition in India.
It currently captures height and weight data for 72 million children under five years, representing over 50% of the population in this age group.
An impressive 94% of beneficiaries have undergone Aadhar verification.
Diverse Data Capture and Monitoring:
The Poshan Tracker dashboard collects data at the national, state, and district levels, encompassing three sets of indicators: Anganwadi infrastructure, beneficiaries receiving take-home rations and hot cooked meals, and nutritional outcomes.
Key Modules and Features:
Several modules within the Poshan Tracker enhance its functionality.
These include beneficiary registration, growth monitoring based on WHO standards, migration tracking for beneficiaries changing Anganwadi centres, and a dashboard for underperforming districts.
Improved Data Accuracy and Timeliness:
International experiences with mobile apps integrated into growth monitoring systems, like in Indonesia, have shown improvements in data accuracy.
The granularity of data provided by the Poshan Tracker allows for a more precise understanding of local malnutrition rates.
Timeliness is also a significant advantage, as data can be transmitted in real-time, eliminating the delays associated with paper-based reporting.
User-Friendly and Sustainable Approach:
To ensure the success of the Poshan Tracker, user feedback is critical. Regular updates and user-friendliness improvements are essential.
Ongoing skill-building and technical assistance will be vital for the long-term sustainability of this monitoring system.
Conclusion:
India’s Poshan Tracker is not just about data; it is a tool for achieving actionable outcomes in the fight against malnutrition. The data collected can catalyse tangible results at the grassroots level when it comes to delivering essential services for malnourished children and mothers.