DW BUREAU / Chandigarh To boost the nutritional-level of children and women in the state and to identify the children suffering from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) children, the Haryana Government has decided to celebrated the ongoing month, September 2020, as National Nutrition Month.Giving information in this regard, an official spokesperson of Department of Women and Child Development said that the malnutrition can be reduced by creating awareness about ideal nutrition, balanced diet and protein-rich food in women, girls and children. He said while the nutrition month is being observed, measures like maintaining social distancing, wearing of masks and washing hands at regular intervals will be ensured to contain the spread of pandemic COVID-19. He informed that instructions have been issued to all District Programme Officers that this month should be celebrated in the right spirit, paying special attention to the theme of National Nutrition Month. A calendar has also been released for the events slated to be held throughout this month, in which children suffering from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) will be identified. Subsequently, to make the mothers aware about the diet of such children, various activities like health checks, meetings with the mothers, Annaprashan Diwas, organizing community-based programmes while laying emphasis on breastfeeding along with organizing meetings with pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls are included. Besides, during this month, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day will also be celebrated with special focus on nutrition. Thus, special health check up of children and pregnant and lactating women will be done in collaboration with the Health Department. He informed that awareness camps will be organised in small groups of five to seven women at different times to create awareness about the improvement of the health of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) children so as to enlighten them about the symptoms of malnutrition, diet of SAM children, personal hygiene etc. The weight and height of such children will also be measured. He informed that during Nutrition Month, people will also be made aware about developing kitchen garden so that they can get green vegetables of daily need at home. A special talk will be organised by the Department of AYUSH. (editor@dailyworld.in)