DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i10.025

Pages: 3795-3799

To study the impact of strengthening of inter-sectoral co-operation on health and nutrition of rural community. Under strong political leadership, co operation between multiple interlinked sectors like health, education, agriculture, communication and broadcasting, women and child welfare was strengthened for improving health and nutrition of women and children from rural community. One thousand women of reproductive age, from five villages were targeted to implement health and nutrition education intervention programme, using participatory community radio and intense IEC activities as primary medium of change with the technical support of multiple sectors concerned with maternal health and nutrition. A feed-forward (baseline)survey was conducted using pretested and validated questionnaire to gain an insight into the socio-economic and demographic profile of the community, media practices with special references to radio, and women’s and children’s health concerns and issues. Three capacity building workshops were conducted for the radio programme production teams and master trainers, who later on produced the participatory radio programmes, using various formats with the central theme of “Science for Women”. Educational interventions in the form of 365 live in radio programmes on topics of women’s health and nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, healthy environment were prepared and broadcasted from the Community Radio Station(CRS), one each daily. Twenty five village level food and nutrition exhibitions, recipe competitions and diagnostic health camps were organized. Programme resulted in strengthening of inter-sectoral co-operation among various departments like health, women and child welfare, communication and broadcasting, agriculture and education. Programme implementation resulted in empowerment and capacity building of community radio station staff and a team of community volunteers at science centre for agriculture, in producing radio contents for the Science f