Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati on Tuesday expressed concern over low hemoglobin levels among women and adolescent girls, as well as increasing vision problems among children.

Governor Kambhampati raised the health issues affecting the women and children during his visit to the State Institute of Women and Children (SIWC) in Bhubaneswar.

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Emphasising the need for regular testing and nutritional support, the Governor suggested including items like carrot-beetroot juice and chikki in the daily diet to help improve hemoglobin levels. He also stressed on the importance of follow-up testing to evaluate the effectiveness of such dietary interventions.

Raising concern over the growing prevalence of eyesight problems in school children, Dr Kambhampati proposed that at least one teacher in each school be trained in basic eye screening to ensure early detection. He also assured that he would discuss the issues with all the relevant departments at the earliest.

The Governor visited the institute’s facilities, including the Malati Choudhury Niwas, the Recipe and Toyathon demonstration unit, the Model Anganwadi Centre, yoga centre, and library. He interacted with the trainees and inquired about their training, available facilities, and awareness of various state and central government schemes. He also asked them about their access to these schemes.

He also suggested preparing a booklet listing all pro-people schemes of both the state and central governments, which could be distributed among trainees at the institute. “These frontline workers can help raise awareness at the grassroots level so that more people benefit from the schemes,” he said.

Officials of the SIWC made a detailed presentation on the institute’s functioning, to which the Governor expressed satisfaction.

Principal Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, Subha Sharma, and other senior officials were present during the Governor’s visit.