Lactating mothers in rural areas were more concerned about breastfeeding their babies than such women in urban areas, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.
Speaking at the launch Matru Poorna Yojane, the State government’s welfare programme in Kalaburagi on Monday, Mr. Kharge expressed concern over rising infant mortality rate. He said women in rural areas were more conscious about the health benefits for infants and mothers by breastfeeding.
Pointing out differences in the health of the babies in rural and urban areas, Mr. Kharge said though urban children looked healthy, they were not as strong as rural children. Breastfeeding helps improve the infant’s immunity.
Stressing upon the proper monitoring and implementation of the scheme, Mr. Kharge called upon pregnant women and lactating mothers to use the scheme properly.
ASHA workers in all 3,098 centres across the district should educate all 61,000 pregnant women and lactating mothers in the district about the programme.
Minister for Medical Education and district in-charge Sharanprakash Patil said that the objective was to provide atleast one nutritions meal a day to pregnant women and lactating mothers in rural areas.
“ASHA workers have major role to play in the effective implementation of the scheme as they have to educate people about nutrition and diets, personal hygiene and sanitation, immunisation and institutional delivery and counselling on initiating breastfeeding,” he said.
