Virtual Orientation on Stop Diarrhoea, MAA, SAANS & KMC Month Conducted by State Child Health Division
Virtual Orientation on Stop Diarrhoea, MAA, SAANS & KMC Month Conducted by State Child Health Division
Dehradun, 24 June 2025
The State Child Health Division conducted a Virtual Orientation Session on the Stop Diarrhoea Campaign, MAA (Mothers’ Absolute Affection), SAANS (Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully), and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Month on Tuesday, 24th June 2025.
The session was organized specifically for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Community Health Officers (CHOs) from the districts of Nainital, Pauri, Pithoragarh, Dehradun, Tehri, and Udham Singh Nagar. The orientation was conducted virtually through the ECHO Platform, led by Mr. Ashwin Silas, Technical Consultant – Child Health, under the guidance of Dr. Uma Rawat, Assistant Director, Maternal and Child Health Program.
The orientation focused on preparations for the upcoming Stop Diarrhoea Campaign, scheduled for July and August 2025, with the following key components:
Provision of 2 ORS packets and 14 zinc tablets per child under 5 years
Establishment of ORS and Zinc Corners at all health facilities by ANMs and CHOs
Screening of under-5 children for diarrhoea and pneumonia
Awareness generation for prevention and management of diarrhoea and pneumonia in the community
Further, the session reinforced components of the MAA program, promoting:
Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months
Introduction of complementary feeding from 6 months
Continued breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond
Additionally, the session highlighted the implementation of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Month, which focuses on the promotion of skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding for low birth weight and preterm babies, an essential intervention to improve neonatal survival.
The State Child Health Division reaffirms its commitment to empowering frontline health workers through capacity-building initiatives that contribute to improved child health outcomes across the state.