PUSTIKAR DIWAS: CONVERGENT ACTION TO REDUCE CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN ODISHA
In 2009, the Department of Health & Family Welfare and the Integrated Child Development Services began Pustikar Diwas, which is a fixed-service delivery day on which medical personnel at primary health centers and community health centers attend the nutritional needs of severely underweight children and those suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Pustikar Diwas enables skilled providers to manage and treat any underlying infections of children in the outpatient; refer children with SAM to nutritional rehabilitation centers for appropriate care; and promote knowledge on feeding and appropriate care, thus reducing the prevalence of undernutrition in Odisha.
This Implementation Note summarizes how Pustikar Diwas was rolled out and how it has evolved over time to meet the needs of its beneficiaries.