National Nutrition Week Celebration | Department of Community Medicine | Navodaya Medical College, Raichur
The Department of Community Medicine, Navodaya Medical College, Raichur, celebrated National Nutrition Week with the objective of creating awareness about the importance of adequate nutrition, healthy dietary practices, maternal and child nutrition, and prevention of nutrition-related disorders in the community. The programme was conducted at the Anganwadi Centre at Ashapur Road, Raichur, and Sub-Centre, Singanodi, providing an opportunity for medical students and faculty to interact directly with community members and frontline health workers.
The activities focused on promoting the message that good nutrition is essential for healthy growth, development, immunity, productivity, and overall well-being. Special emphasis was placed on balanced diets, adequate intake of locally available nutritious foods, appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, prevention of anaemia, and nutritional care of pregnant and lactating women.
At the Anganwadi Centre, an interactive nutrition awareness session was conducted for mothers, children, and community members. The participants were educated about the components of a balanced diet and the importance of including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products, and other locally available nutritious foods in their daily meals. The importance of dietary diversity and avoiding excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats was also discussed.
The session also highlighted the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, timely initiation of complementary feeding, and continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods. Mothers were counselled regarding age-appropriate feeding practices and the importance of providing children with adequate quantities and variety of nutritious food.
At the Sub-Centre, Singanodi, the programme included interaction with community members and frontline health workers regarding common nutritional problems prevalent in the community. Particular attention was given to anaemia prevention and control, including the importance of iron- and folate-rich foods, iron-folic acid supplementation, and appropriate health-seeking behaviour. The participants were also sensitised about the nutritional requirements of women during pregnancy and lactation.
Medical Interns actively participated in the programme by conducting awareness activities, interacting with beneficiaries, addressing questions, and reinforcing key nutrition messages. The programme provided students with valuable practical exposure to community-based nutrition education and the role of primary healthcare services in addressing nutritional problems.
The celebration also served as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the Department of Community Medicine, Anganwadi workers, frontline health personnel, and the local community. Interactive discussions encouraged participants to share their existing dietary practices and concerns, allowing the sessions to be tailored to locally relevant nutritional issues.
Further, A session on Health Nutrition was also delivered at IIIT Raichur by Interns and Faculty of Department of Community Medicine.
