Paalan 1000: A hope and opportunity for the future of our children

What will be your child’s potential life achievements? How much intelligence and cognitive capacity may your child have? This will be largely dependent on mother’s health and nutrition status during pregnancy and the initial two years of life. The recent evidence suggests that the health practices and nutrition received during this period have a clear influence on the intellect, brain development and cognitive development of your child.

Children are the basis of all dimensions of sustainable development. They are the future and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) won’t be possible without focusing on them. The equitable development of all children regardless of sex, caste and creed is essential. Investing in early childhood development could be the most secure public investment to get the best returns and attain the full potential of our children.

Eighty per cent of a person’s brain is developed by the age of two years and the 1^st one thousand days (1^st 1,000 days includes 270 days of pregnancy and 1^st two years after birth i.e. 730 days) of life are the most crucial. It means the most critical period of brain development is concurrent with foetal life in the mother’s womb and 1^st two years. This time period in a life of a person holds the key to unlocking and saving future prospects.

The neurological research on early childhood development also shows that the early years beginning from the preconception period to two years of age play a key role in children’s brain development. The health of children cannot be considered in isolation and it has a direct link to the mother’s health and the initial 1000 days are the foundation to ensure a child’s physical, mental, cognitive and emotional health.  Improving care for young children is now considered fundamental to achieving the SDGs and fulfilling the ‘survive and thrive’ agenda.

However, as per the Lancet estimates, 65% of under-five children are at risk of poor development in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) with the situation less alarming but still worrisome in middle-income countries (MICs). Overall, despite progress in recent years still 250 million children in LMICs and MICs are at risk of poor development with 63 million of them alone in India (Lancet Global Health – 2016). Children, who are unable to get proper care for promoting early cognitive development, grow poorly, have poor school performance, learn less with limited earning potential and are more likely to transfer poverty to the next generation. A Lancet estimate of the loss of human potential from 2004 is a 20 per cent deficit in adult income with huge implications on national development.

India at present suffers from the risk of the vicious cycle of a double burden of malnutrition. The undernourished pregnant women most often give birth to a low birth weight (LBW) new-born and of the 26 million births in India annually, 18.2% are low birth weight (below 2.5 kg) as per the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21). Moreover, the prevalence of LBW is stagnated in successive two NFHS rounds. The morbidity and mortality in under-five children increase with the intensity of LBW and these children are more prone to under-nutrition. The poor development and nutrition during the initial days of child life and even in utero predispose to under-nutrition, overweight, and NCDs such as diabetes and heart diseases later in life.

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy, lactation, and nutrition in infancy and young child have an implication on all types of malnutrition throughout the life course. The promotion of good nutrition during early life is of the utmost importance in tackling all forms of malnutrition.  The physical and mental growth of children and their cognitive development has a bearing across the lifespan. The 1^st 1000 days provide a “window of opportunity” for desired actions on the health, growth and neurodevelopment. The availability of adequate healthcare, good nutrition, early learning and stimulation, quality childcare practices and a clean safe environment will have an influence in future of the child.

The launch of the Paalan 1000 – National campaign and Parenting App aims to reduce the child mortality rate and take care of the first 1000 days of a child after birth. The focus of the campaign is on the ‘journey of the 1^st thousand days’ as a foundation for a happier beginning and brighter future by providing extra care through family empowerment approach. This is an excellent step forward in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The proposed application will be a companion to provide up-to-date knowledge and information regarding factors affecting child cognitive development during 1^st 1000 days with practical advice to the parents or guardians and health care workers in mitigating the risks and encashing the benefits.

This initiative is envisaged to develop a roadmap in the direction of creating an environment of child development through shared values across the different sectors. Through this initiative, parents and families are expected to have good knowledge about the 1^st thousand days and utilise this knowledge for betterment of their child’s future. This will educate them about good child-rearing practices. Learning on the activities such as playing, singing, and communicating with the child by parents and family members will improve the thinking, stimulates the brain development of the child and thereby reach the full potential.

All children have right to survive, thrive and reach their full potential. Latest evidences from studies and reports recognises importance of ECD in ensuring equity, gender equality and greater success at schools. The small investment made in the early years have enormous benefits throughout the life.  The focus on ECD under the Paalan -1000 initiative is pivotal in the domain of SDGs and their specific targets. However, a strong foundation on practical aspects of its implementation, rollout and reach to the intended target groups from pre-conception till pregnancy and two years of age is crucial for the desired outcomes. 

The Paalan-1000 is a hope and opportunity for our children’s future. Parents have to play a crucial role in first thousand days of child’s life and tone of the rest of life is to be defined during the same period. This family centric approach seems a crucial step towards ensuring India’s development and prosperity in near future.

The author is Manager – Nutrition, Save the Children. Views are personal.

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