A major initiative aimed at improving maternal and child health, nutrition and early childhood development services in eastern parts of Nagaland has been launched through a joint agreement signed between government departments, district authorities and a non-governmental organisation. According to an official report issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), a Letter of Agreement (LoA) was signed on April 24 at the commissioner’s office in Kohima to strengthen service delivery at the grassroots level in selected districts of the state. The agreement brought together the Department of School Education (DoSE), the Health and Family Welfare Department, Eleutheros Christian Society and district administrations under a common framework aimed at improving coordination among departments working in health, education and nutrition sectors.
Officials said the initiative has been designed to ensure that mothers and children in identified districts receive better access to integrated services related to healthcare, nutrition and early childhood education.During the initial phase, the programme will cover 60 villages spread across six eastern districts of the state — Mon district, Longleng district, Tuensang district, Shamator district, Kiphire district and Noklak district. These districts were selected because of concerns related to high levels of malnutrition and challenges linked to maternal and child health. Officials involved in the programme said the initiative is expected to serve as a pilot model that could later be expanded to other districts across Nagaland if successful. Under the agreement, different departments and organisations have been assigned specific responsibilities to improve coordination and avoid gaps in service delivery.
The Department of School Education will focus on strengthening early learning programmes, supporting school-based health activities and improving infrastructure as well as teacher accountability in schools. Officials said education support during early childhood plays an important role in the overall development of children.The Health and Family Welfare Department will be responsible for ensuring that essential maternal and child healthcare services reach beneficiaries in the targeted villages. These services include immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care, medical support for mothers and children, and the availability of medicines and diagnostic services. Eleutheros Christian Society will work closely with communities to increase awareness and encourage participation in health and nutrition programmes. The organisation will also help in conducting awareness campaigns, supporting supplementary nutrition initiatives and organising training programmes for frontline workers involved in service delivery.
