2.6 MN Food Baskets Distributed Among Malnourished Mothers by Alavi Foundation

TEHRAN, Iran, March 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- (Alavi Foundation) The food aids have been distributed in 359 cities in 29 provinces, among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

The mission of the foundation is depreciation in all around the country. For example, distribution foods in deprived areas for pregnant women and mothers who feed their newborn babies.

Distribution of food baskets among malnourished pregnant women and nursing mothers started in underdeveloped areas 10 years ago on a pilot basis in five provinces by the Alavi Foundation. Under the pilot plan, 2,000 mothers received the food aid packages per month.

During the nine months ending in December, a total of 115,269 mothers benefited from this plan.

The plan was officially launched by the distribution of 1,000 packages per month in 2007 to reach 50,541 packages in 2015. In 2016, 61,252 aid packages were distributed among short-listed women.

Mothers in undeveloped and underprivileged areas receive the food packages after being studied and listed.

The plan lies within the framework of an agreement reached between the Minister of Health and the Director of the Mostazafan Foundation with a view to undertaking healthcare projects.

It studies statistical data about pregnant and breastfeeding mothers mainly in rural areas, who are suffering from malnourishment. The objective of the program is to set a diet plan appropriate for pregnancy to protect mothers' health, prevent the loss of micronutrients in their bodies as well as offering nutrition education and support to malnourished mothers.

Mothers shortlisted for the project mainly live in underdeveloped rural areas. They are required to be included at least one of the following conditions:

1. BMI less than 18.5
2. Weight before 45 kg
3. Hemoglobin below 10.5
4. Giving birth to twins or more children
5. Poor weight gain based on weight diagram

Under the agreement signed between the Health Minister and the Foundation for the Poor, specialists from the Ministry of Health, the Nutrition Sciences Department at Tehran University of Medicine and the Shahid Beheshti University of Medicine suggested a food basket rich in 2,500 kilocalories to the Alavi Foundation, which in turn, provided and distributed it among malnourished pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers living in deprived rural areas.

The objectives of this plan include improving the weight gain procedure during pregnancy, preventing birth of infants with less than 2.5 weight, containing the spread of malnutrition among pregnant women and nursing mothers covered by the plan, upgrading nutrition knowledge of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, further intake of energy and nutrients in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, preventing infant growth disorder, reducing anemia in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as well as increasing the breastfeeding rate among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

Special food basket envisaged for pregnant women includes rice, spaghetti, oatmeal, pinto bean, chickpea, split pea, lentil, kidney bean, cheese, soya, date, cooking oil and chicken. All is financed by the Alavi Foundation.

Consumption of such food baskets would improve eating habits of mothers in question, thereby reducing the complications of pregnancy and improving weight gain procedure during pregnancy.  

Media Contact:  Mehrdad Ebrahimian
Phone: +98 21 88678335
Email: [email protected]

Press Release by Akhbar Rasmi Media Agency

SOURCE Alavi Foundation