Recouping Maternal and Child Nutrition: Mitigation Strategies in COVID-19 Pandemic
S. S. Lokesh Kumar
Department of Community Medicine, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam-603103, Tamil Nadu, India.
U. Sharath *
Department of Community Medicine, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam-603103, Tamil Nadu, India.
R. Hanitha
Department of Community Medicine, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam-603103, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The global health and economycontinues to devastate because of COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has a huge impact on access to appropriate nutritive foods, essential interventions and poverty. There arises a significant concern that the COVID – 19 pandemic and its repercussions have had a bad impact on the women and children’s nutrional status and this could worsen over the time. There are 149 million children under 5 years of age who are stunted according to the current estimates. Now COVID-19 threatens to reverse or halt further more. The effects on the linear growth in children and stunting could be more than the short-term effects of under nutrition if left unaddressed. Prioritizing nutrition for vulnerable children and women is of prime importance. Re-strategizing and reprioritizing investments forthe COVID-19 erashould be together done by the development partners, donors and governments using data-driven decision making.
Keywords: COVID- 19, maternity, child nutrition