CHENNAI: The MSSRF and UNICEF on Thursday launched the ‘Tamil Nadu Nutrition Alliance’ in an effort to bring about a synchronised and coordinated approach to the issue of nutrition in the State.
“There is enough and more evidence on how there is little awareness on nutrition and how there are many misconceptions,” said Job Zacharaiah, Chief of Office, UNICEF Tamil Nadu and Kerala, speaking at the launch.
The experts agreed that lack of awareness, coupled with misconceptions surrounding the issue .
According to Zachariah, although TN was a forerunner in social development indicators, over 50 pc of its population was anaemic. The launch coincided with a meeting of 30 stakeholders discussing nutrition as an issue often interlinked with several others like sanitation, education and even vices like child marriage.
M S Swaminathan, founder MSSRF, Darez Ahamed, mission director, TN National Health Mission attended along with representatives from the State Planning Commission, Department of Social Welfare, ICDS and health, research institutions, NGOs and nutritionists.
The goal is to build a ‘one-stop shop’ for nutrition, encompassing everything from data, research, communication tools, evidence aggregation and a knowledge-sharing network.