Datong, in Northern China's Shanxi province, recently launched a program to improve child nutrition. The provincial government has allocated the city special subsidies to distribute nutrition packages to babies aged 6 to 24 months in low-income neighborhoods.
The program is designed to reduce anemia in children from poor areas, as well as improve their general health. The package includes Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, calcium, iron and zinc tablets, and protein.
In addition to the nutrition packages, the province Health and Family Planning Commission and Women's Federation has set up an expert guidance group, whose role is to popularize knowledge of proper infant feeding. The project aims to reduce incidences of child anemia and growth retardation by 20 and 5 percent respectively. Government bodies will also hold nutrition-oriented training sessions for local government officers and health staff.
