Nine Milestones and investing in 9 gems

Key thought: In the first 1000 days of life, critical Health, Nutrition and Sanitation milestones can be achieved (or key evidence based intervention gems can be accumulated) that can have long lasting impact.

Brief: Gems are hidden in the deep interiors of the earth. Rough, uncut and not of any value till they are discovered, cut, polished and owned. To the owner of a shining brilliant gem, the hidden stone of yesterday is a priceless treasure of today. The owner knows the worth of each gem she possesses for with each gem is a story of grit, determination, dedication and achievement.

A long distance runner too knows the determination, training, skills and knowledge needed to accomplish a run. Each milestone achieved is a step closer to the goal. The finish line and victory awaits the runner once the final milestone is crossed.

Much like the gems and the milestones are the nine evidence based interventions related to the health, nutrition and sanitation, in the first 1000 days of life of the mother and her child. These are accomplishments that have far reaching consequences.  Accomplishments for a ruddy, strong mother with a healthy infant, who not only will be able to fight diseases but also grow and develop well and in the further future learn and earn well.

These gems and milestones are accomplishments during pregnancy, childbirth and infancy; related both to the mother and the child and to the household they live in. Three clusters of three gems, like the auspicious NavRatna of Indian traditions have been determined based on possible impact on the lives of the mother, child and family. The first cluster related to the mother’s health and nutrition, the second cluster related to the health and nutrition of the infant and the third cluster related to household level amenities. As a woman progresses from pregnancy to childbirth to motherhood, the mother and child dyad achieves these milestones and accumulates these gems; each a promise for a bright, shining and fulfilling future.


Points to ponder: What are the Health, Nutrition and Sanitation achievements of your area? How relevant are these achievements to long term impact? Of how much value are these achievements to you? What more can you do?

Action: Would you like to list down key evidence based interventions in Health, Nutrition and Sanitation that have long term impact!

Resources:
http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/essential_nutrition_actions/en/

http://www.mchip.net/sites/default/files/OR_Innovation_Briefer_Oct%2011.pdf




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Complementary feeding

Image
Key thought: The food we begin to eat with determines our destiny. Brief: Food. It comes in every variety to entice us. Different shapes, sizes, textures, tastes and packaging. Each unique. The perfect mango, yellow, succulent, juicy, tasty. The king of fruits. What about a plate full of steaming hot white basmati rice. The circular, blown up, crisp rotis just out of the tawa. The aroma of spicy dal with a twist of butter on the top. The list could go on about food glorious food. Yes, and there is more to it. In every food is a treasure house of nutrients that will go a long way in giving us energy, building our bodies, transforming our minds, carving our futures and destinies. The rice and roti we eat will break down into glucose and then to Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which will fuel our cells and tissues to do their day-to-day work; to walk, to sit, to stand, to hold, even to breathe. The protein in the dal will become amino acids, which will soon make our muscles stronge...
Read more

Institutional delivery

Image
Key thought: It is best to be born in the safest possible place Brief: “Every woman, every newborn, everywhere has the right to good quality care…At the same time, poor quality care that is too little, too late jeopardises the health of women and their babies” says the Executive Summary of the Maternal Health Series of Lancet, a well-known Medical Journal. For quality care during birth, the safest possible place is the best bet. Where then is the safest place? The home? That is a tricky question to answer. What if the mother begins bleeding which cannot be stopped? What if, the baby is unable to cry and breathe properly after birth? What if, the labour process is very long? What if, the baby’s birth process is not normal? There are just too many “what ifs” for delivery at home to be qualified as safe. The hospital? Yes provided there are qualified and well-trained people who can manage normal as well as difficult cases of delivery. The same “what ifs” of above have to be ...
Read more

The first 1000 days in life

Image
Key thought: A person’s life journey in the first 1000 days and the investments therein is the key to his future productivity and returns. We all begin our life’s journey as a single complete cell. Our mother’s womb provides the perfect place for our formation. Her blood vessels supply us with the oxygen and nutrition that we need. Beginning from the first few weeks of organ formation, it is by nine months we are ready to face the outside world. Once we are born, it is during our first two years the rest of our formation take place; we learn to develop our motor skills, social skills, mental abilities that shape the fine and important attributes like intelligence, emotions and dreams. This period encompassing the time in our mother’s womb till the second birthday is known as the first 1000 days of life. The investments made in our lives during this period has an amazing propensity to determine our destinies. Whether we are destined to grow well mentally and physically, hav...
Read more