more-in Use of ayurvedic, homoeopathic and naturopathic treatment techniques among some children in anganwadis over three months has helped in improving the health of around 300 children, aged between 0 and five years, said District AYUSH Officer Mohammed Iqbal here on Thursday. Talking to reporters after the district administration’s International Day of Yoga programme at the Mangala Indoor Stadium, Dr. Iqbal said that around 1,000 children were screened in January and given ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines. Along with their regular nutrition diet, these children were given soup of tomatoes and carrots. Progress made Dr. Iqbal said that a review in March showed good development in around 300 children. Among the positives, Dr. Iqbal said, was weight gain from 0.5 kgs to 4 kgs in the children. “This result has prompted us to propose extension of this facility for all children in the district,” he said. Students from four private ayurveda, naturopathy and homoeopathy colleges of the district were involved in this exercise, Dr. Iqbal said. Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Sundara Poojari said following a suggestion by ZP CEO M.R. Ravi, the AYUSH Department was asked in January to take up, on a pilot basis, the use of ayurvedic and other Indian System of Medicines for growth of young children. “The results we have got are encouraging. We are yet to decide on extending the service to other children,” he told The Hindu. Earlier, Urban Development and Housing Minister U.T. Khader and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel inaugurated the Yoga Day programme.

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