In this post we will describe the objectives of Maternal And Child Health(MCH).We will uncover what the programme aims to achieve.
MCH objectives aim to:
- Help women and children obtain the necessary nutrition information on how to achieve optimal growth and development. It informs on dietary modifications that can promote proper growth especially for the young children. The women are educated on the importance on nutrient adequacy and variety.Moreover, they are emphasized upon the importance of good nutrition when the child is developing to avoid impacts of nutrient deficiencies and stunted growth later in life.
- To facilitate and enhance exclusive breastfeeding practices for the first 6 months of a child and continued breastfeeding till 2 years or more. MCH advocates for exclusive breastfeeding for the initial six months of a child’s life to ensure that child has proper development by obtaining the necessary nutrients from mother’s milk, which contains anti bodies that ensure that the child is at low risk of infections.
- To ensure the timely introduction of complementary foods after the child is 6 months old while continuing with breastfeeding .MCH aims to promote the introduction of complementary foods once the child is six months old. It seeks to propagate that children at this age obtain appropriate, adequate and safe complementary foods to ensure proper development . The introduction of these foods is done gradually.
- Promoting sustainable settings that allow the provision of adequate nutrients for suitable child and maternal nutrition. MCH also informs women and other caregivers on the importance of having enabling environments that provide optimal child nutrition. As such, it encourages caregivers both in informal and formal employment settings on the significance of good maternal and child nutrition.
- To reinforce the established policy guidelines and systems that promote maternal and child nutrition. MCH seeks to ensure the endorsement of policy guidelines and systems that strengthen its research and development.
- To foster enhanced maternal and child care even in emergency contexts. MCH guidelines are also employed in emergency contexts where challenges of food and nutrition security may present. It offers alternative approaches on how to access food and educates on food alternatives that can be used instead but still meet nutrient requirements of the mother and child.
- Therefore, MCH basically aims to empower women and children to achieve good nutrition status and proper development.