Improving Child Nutrition - a special initiative of SMC Blue Star Provider

Over the last 22 years, SMC Blue Star Providers (BSPs) have been serving the community relentlessly by offering quality health, nutrition, and family planning information and services. 

To raise awareness among the parents of under-five children and the community at large, Mr. Noor Boksh, one of the dedicated BSP, took self-initiative to organize the Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) Campaign for his neighborhood at Sadhuhati Bazar, Jhenaidah, on 31 March, 2021. SMC's field staff assisted to make this innovative endeavor successful.

In the campaign, Mr. Boksh provided nutrition-related information and case-based counseling to improve the overall nutritional status of the under-five children. Apart from disseminating the information on growth patterns with the parents and counseling on child nutrition with a special focus on micronutrient supplements (SMC branded MoniMix), Mr. Boksh provided free child health care services during the campaign. The services were to measure the growth of children, complete the growth chart, distribute the GMP card, and refer severe malnutrition cases to the specialist doctors/hospitals along with other limited care. 

The event was held successfully with the overwhelming participation of the mothers, children, and caregivers. A total of 134 mothers attended with children in the event and about 118 children received nutritional services along with micronutrient supplement 'MoniMix'.

The Union Parishad (UP) Chairman, Mr. Kazi Md. Nazir Uddin was present at the eventas the Chief Guest along with other community influential. 

The Chairman said 'SMC MoniMix' is the best solution to fight against the malnutrition of children. He reiterated that this is an exceptional initiative by the Blue Star Provider and a very effective way to create awareness among the parents/caregivers to address and improve the child's nutrition status.

By noticing a positive change, SMC adopted this concept and shared it with other Blue Star Providers promoting the child nutrition services through organizing this type of regular event. Till June 2021, a total of 47 such events were organized where approximately 5,423 children received the nutrition services and 6,650 mothers were reached with information on the consequences of malnutrition and the benefits of using MoniMix.

Now SMC is paying special attention to motivate other Blue Star Providers for organizing this type of mothers' gathering with the providers' initiatives for proper utilization and expansion of GMP services.