Focus on improving nutrition for children in mountainous areas

Teachers and students of Yen Than School (Dien Xa Kindergarten) experience taking care of the vegetable garden.

As a mountainous, border, and island province with 43 ethnic groups living together, including 42 ethnic minorities, the lives of ethnic minority people still face certain difficulties. Every year, thousands of children in the province are still malnourished, stunted, and underweight, mainly concentrated in mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas.

Faced with that situation, on July 7, 2023, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province issued Decision No. 1889/QD-UBND approving the Project "Propaganda and mobilization to improve nutrition and physical strength for children in highland, ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Quang Ninh province, period 2022-2025". To implement Decision 1889 of the province, all levels and sectors have promoted implementation with creative and effective methods with the aim of improving children's health and stature.

Yen Than School (Dien Xa Kindergarten) in the 2025-2026 school year has 8 classes, over 160 students, the proportion of ethnic minority students accounts for 65%, mainly Dao, San Chi and Tay ethnic groups, the economic conditions of parents still have certain difficulties. Therefore, teachers and students in the school have taken advantage of the vacant land in the school yard to grow green vegetables such as Malabar spinach, water spinach, mustard greens... Since having green vegetable gardens, the school has saved part of the cost, at the same time has clean food, clear origin, contributing to providing nutritious meals for children. It is worth mentioning that the vegetable garden is also a place where children can freely experience activities such as watering plants, identifying and harvesting vegetables, tubers, fruits...

Along with that, the school has coordinated with Dien Xa Commune Health Station to periodically check the health of children twice a year to check their health and physical condition. At the same time, the school has increased the amount of milk students drink to improve their meals. In addition to the milk drinking regime according to the education sector's regime, the school also calls for socialization to provide more milk for students.

Ms. Be Thu Thuy, Principal of Dien Xa Kindergarten, said: Every year, the school coordinates with local authorities and health care at all levels to promote the role of nutrition in children's development; at the same time, it provides boarding meals to ensure adequate nutrition for children's development; and it increases the organization of physical activities and sports to encourage students to exercise. In addition, the school also calls on philanthropists to support fresh milk for students.

Staff of Tien Yen Commune Health Station examines the health of students of Branch III, Tien Yen Commune Kindergarten.

Together with all levels and sectors in enhancing health care for children, the Women's Union at all levels in the province has implemented many activities to take care of children's health and nutrition. The Women's Union has issued the Project "Propaganda and mobilization to improve nutrition and physical strength for children in highland, ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Quang Ninh province for the period 2022 - 2025". Implementing the project, from 2023-2025, the Women's Union has established 21 models of "Childcare and education", 100% of children in the model have books to monitor height and weight; organized 118 training classes, 8 competitions, and issued 14,000 leaflets. The project has raised awareness and skills in childcare; Many backward customs and habits have been eliminated, the rate of malnutrition and stunting in children under 5 years old in the project implementation area has gradually decreased over the years.

Together with the education sector and the Women's Union, in recent years, the provincial health sector has closely coordinated with highland localities to synchronously implement maternal and child health care programs with a focus on nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life - the golden period that determines the stature, physical strength and intelligence of children. Grassroots health stations organize periodic screening and nutritional assessments for pregnant mothers and children under 2 years old; provide advice on breastfeeding, appropriate weaning diets; supplement essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A. Malnourished children receive timely treatment and monitoring of their growth every month.

Every year, the province implements a campaign to supplement high doses of vitamin A for children under 5 years old, combined with weighing and measuring to monitor comprehensive development, with priority given to ethnic minority children and children in particularly difficult areas.

It can be said that, in recent times, thanks to the synchronous implementation of all levels and sectors in the province in implementing the work of caring for and improving nutrition for children, the health and stature of ethnic minority children have been significantly improved. Children are the buds of the country, especially ethnic minority children who still face many difficulties and deprivations. Therefore, in the coming time, there is still a great need for more cooperation from all levels, sectors, business communities, and social organizations to provide practical support for children in the highlands of the province. At the same time, parents also need to change their lifestyle through health education, practice life skills, and improve meals so that children can develop more comprehensively.

Ngoc Tram

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/quan-tam-cai-thien-dinh-duong-cho-tre-em-vung-cao-3381545.html