Nutrition garden on child health opened at Chengalpattu medical college

Designed by Soumya Swaminathan, the garden has been set up with funds from IOCL

A garden to create awareness on the importance of nutrition during the 1,000 days from pregnancy till a child attained the age of two was inaugurated at the Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital here on Friday by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma. Subramanian.

The garden, which is called the “1,000 days of life nutrition garden”, was developed under the corporate social responsibility initiative of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. The Minister laid the foundation stone for a waiting hall for visitors near the garden with funding from Nissan Motors India Pvt. Ltd. and Hand in Hand.

Built in the shape of a womb, the garden was designed by World Health Organisation’s Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan. He said the garden, which is designed to create awareness on healthy eating and nutritive value of different plants and vegetables, will be beneficial to pregnant women and mothers with babies visiting the hospital.

Citing the recent report of Sample Registration System, the Minister said the infant mortality rate in Tamil Nadu had come down from 15 to 13. He said the government would strive to bring this number to zero in five years from now.