SevaChild India, local NGOs join hands against vitamin A deficiency

Rishikesh, October 19

Mumbai-based SevaChild India along with the Rural Development Institute (RDI), Divine Shakti Foundation and Him Jyoti School for Girls organised a health, hygiene and sanitation awareness drive at Mayakund slums on Monday. It was combined with distribution of vitamin A and albendazole tablets to children below the age of five.

Rick Carlton, founder of SevaChild International, who has travelled here from the USA for the event, said, “SevaChild has been working to address the vitamin A deficiency in children under five years for several years. This is in recognition of the fact that Vitamin A deficiency can render a child blind and even take a child’s life if not addressed.” Every child under five living in Mayakund, the biggest slum of Rishikesh, was given vitamin A and albendazole (de-worming) tablets. Besides, the mothers of the children were examined by RDI health practitioners and given treatment free of cost. With health as the central theme, a quiz was conducted for the mothers. Health and hygiene kits were given to the winners as awards.

The Divine Shakti Foundation stationed a van at the venue and distributed IEC material and screened films to spread awareness on health. Street plays were staged. Girls from Him Jyoti School, Dehradun, enacted a play on health and hygiene awareness.

Deep Sharma, president of the Nagar Palika, panchayat president Anitha, Mythili, Director, HIHT, and Dr Rajiv Biswal, coordinator of the programme, SevaChild board members Vinod Malhotra and Ankush Mehra, Sadhvi Bhagvati Saraswati of the Divine Shakti Foundation, and headmistress of Him Jyoti School Kavita Singh were present.—ANI