COVERAGE OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH INTERVENTIONS IN MEGHALAYA: INSIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY-4

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It is crucial to understand the coverage of nutrition and health interventions to gain further insights into their effectiveness and impact. We present this Data Note that describes the coverage of a set of key nutrition and health interventions in the state of Meghalaya, which is part of the eastern sub-Himalayan belt in the north-east of India. The findings here are based on data from the National Family Health Survey 2015-2016.

India’s policy framework for health and nutrition is robust and includes most evidence-based nutrition and health interventions. Two large-scale national program platforms – the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Health Mission together provide the public sector delivery platforms with the mandate to deliver these interventions across the country. India’s efforts at scaling up nutrition interventions are now also supported by the National Nutrition Mission (or POSHAN Abhiyaan).

Findings of this Data Note reveal that in Meghalaya interventions like iodized salt, any antenatal care (ANC) visits, mother and child protection (MCP) card, iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation, weighing, and tetanus toxoid injection have achieved high coverage (≥75%). However, no interventions during delivery & postnatal period have achieved high coverage. The state should focus efforts on increasing coverage of interventions for meeting the demand for family planning, consuming 100+ IFA, deworming, breastfeeding counselling, and health & nutrition education before & during pregnancy. For deeper insights into the coverage of key nutrition and health interventions, with district-wise status, please download this Data Note on "Coverage of Nutrition and Health Interventions in MEGHALAYA: Insights from the National Family Health Survey-4".