IYCNCON 2012 organized to defeat malnutrition

06 August, 2012

IYCNCON 2012 is aimed at achieving the optimal breastfeeding, and infant and young child feeding practices to fight the malnutrition.

MALNUTRITION IN children is a major concern in India and South Asia, said the experts in a joint statement during IYCNCON 2012, being organized at IYCNCON 2012 by IYCF Chapter of IAP, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Govt. of India, Ministry of women and child development, WHO, UNICEF, IMLEA, SDHE Trust, IJCP and eMedinewS. The theme of the conference was “Proper Nutrition: Defeat Malnutrition – Investing in the Future”

The experts said that out of nearly 115 million children below the age of five in India, about 60 million are malnourished. Malnutrition impairs intelligence, strength, energy & productivity. It is also the major cause of mortality and morbidity. Most of these deaths occurring in <5 years age group are attributed to the Malnutrition and India is a home to more than a third of world's undernourished children.

Reducing the infant and child mortality by 2/3rd by the end of year 2015 is one of the key components of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which have become the most widely accepted yardstick of development efforts by the Government, Donors & NGOs. Lack of nutritional health education & non-implementation of proper infant & young child feeding practices in Indian community/ society is the sole responsible factor for the gap between targeted goals & the achievements.

IYCNCON 2012 is aimed at achieving the optimal breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices to fight with the malnutrition. IYCF guidelines prepared by IAP, WHO and UNICEF have been accepted as guidelines by the Govt. departments for dissemination / implementation all over India for the benefit of future generations of our country.

Hon. Prime Minister Sh. Manmohan Singh has already accepted that the prevalence of Malnutrition in our country is “National shame”. The GOI has also proposed to start a “SWASTH BHARAT” campaign on TV and Radio.

The panelists included Dr. K.K. Aggarwal, Dr. R.K. Agarwal, Dr. A.P. Dubey, Dr. S. Aneja, Dr. M.M.A. Faridi, Dr. Satish Tiwari, Dr. Narender Yadav, Dr. Naresh Garg, Dr. Balraj Singh Yadav, Dr. Vishesh Kumar, Dr. Dheeraj Shah, Dr. Malobika, Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dr. Alka Kuthe, Dr. Sanjay Wazir, Dr. Padamjeet Gulia and Dr. Ashish Jain.