Therapeutic food makers in the country have asked for launching specific programmes at the community level to tackle the problem of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in the country since Covid restrictions and reverse migration are feared to have led to drop in the nutrition levels in the vulnerable sections of society.

CMAM Association of India, comprising manufacturers of  Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) globally used  in  community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), has extended support to the Government to develop new products so as to eradicate SAM under the PoshanAbhiyan.

In a communication to the Ministry of Women & Child Development, CMAM Association of India has offered to support and implement any feeding protocols to be laid down by the Government in the upcoming nutrition guidelines using its R&D and product development prowess to ensure that the children receive adequate nutrition.

Feeding protocols that use a combination of home-based food and high-quality energy dense nutrition supplement, including all micronutrients, which are easy to transport to villages, deliver to families and administer to children need to be urgently explored, CMAM Association has stated.

According to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) have nine times higher risk ofdying than well-nourished children. CMAM Association has pointed out the urgent need for collaboration between Government, therapeutic food manufacturers and civil society to meet the challenge of SAM in the country.