State partners with Ummeed to monitor development delays in children
Shillong, Sept 19: A little ball of energy, a child whose laughter could light up the entire village. Every day was an adventure, and every dream seemed within reach. But in the midst, there were challenges – not just for this child but for all the little ones in our community. That’s when something wonderful happened. Imagine parents, neighbours, and caring souls from every corner coming together, all sharing a common dream: to give our children the best possible start in life.
That’s what the Early Childhood Development Mission (MECDM) is all about – to ensure no child is left behind, and every child in the state is given the chance to thrive.
The mission aims at the holistic development of children starting from conception till the age of 8 years. Meghalaya has a population of about three million (Census 2011) of which approximately 20 per cent belong to the 0-6 years age group. Of these, a large number (4,67,979) is enrolled under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme; Mid-Day Meal Program (MDM) (3,83,186 in 2018-19) and 90 per cent receive immunization from the health department apart from other essential health services.
State data shows that Meghalaya is facing many challenges in health, nutrition, education and poverty. The Mission is an all-inclusive programme where children with any kind of disability will also be identified at an early stage to detect developmental delays so that effective measures are taken to address their issues more effectively.
The mission has been acclaimed by Asian Development Bank too. Dr Dinesh Arora, Principal Health Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB), commended the work being done in Meghalaya and stated, “Meghalaya is perhaps the first state in the Asia Pacific to come out with such visionary thinking.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today said that the government has accorded thrust on Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme. He said there has been an inherent challenge in overall education sector, but through ECD programme, efforts are being made to ensure holistic development of a child.
Speaking at the launch of “Guide for Monitoring Child Development (GMCD)” in Shillong, the Chief Minister remarked that the state government has rolled out programmes at different levels to ensure that citizens are given access to healthcare and education.
“Our programmes have been tailored in such a manner that we ensure that a pregnant mother is given due care and attention, and all facilitation for a child to grow in a healthy environment with access to healthcare, nutrition and education”, he said.
He also informed that as a government, due focus is being given not just for newborn babies but on the overall health of a mother.
“In 2018, the mortality rate was very high, compared to national average. Initially, we thought the reason for child deaths was mainly due to poor institutional deliveries, however, we realised it was part of a larger concern and systematically made effort to address it”, he said, while adding that the government focussed on early detection of High-Risk Mothers, which ultimately ensure that the mortality rate was reduced.
He said that through Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme (CM-SMS) the government has managed to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates. “We are happy to see results but we are still doing our best to ensure that no mother loses her life during delivery,” he emphasised.
“The Meghalaya ECD Mission has always been about ensuring the overall well-being of our children, and we are proud of the progress we have made in areas like health and nutrition. But inclusivity is key to ensuring that every child can grow and thrive, no matter their background or challenges. This partnership with Ummeed CDC marks a new era in how we approach early childhood development in Meghalaya, and it is a critical step toward creating a more inclusive future for all children,” he said.
The state government launched the programme in partnership with the Ummeed Child Development Centre (CDC), a leading organization acknowledged as consultants to the WHO’s Nurturing Care Framework.
Notably, the Meghalaya ECD mission, has made impressive strides in improving health, nutrition, and gender equality for children.
The collaboration introduced the Guide for Monitoring Child Development (GMCD), a proprietary tool which is licensed to be used and trained only by Ummeed CDC in India. The tool will be used to monitor, detect, and address developmental delays in children between the ages of 0 and 42 months.
Principal Secretary P. Sampath Kumar said, “This is not just another program with limited targets. The goal is to ensure no child is left behind, and every child in the state is given the chance to thrive.”
He informed that the state’s approach includes the establishment of Human Development Teams, which regularly visit vulnerable households, spending time with families to understand their challenges. “One recent field visit identified a 12-year-old girl with intellectual challenges who had gone unmonitored since birth,” he said.
Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy, who has over 25 years of experience working with children with disabilities and their families and is also a Developmental Pediatrician and Founder of Ummeed Child Development Centre, delivered a keynote speech during the launch.
“This project is truly pioneering, not just in Meghalaya, but across South Asia and the Asia Pacific. 23 years ago, when I first entered this field, I encountered the shocking statistic that 15% of children in low and middle-income countries have some form of disability—this amounts to 52 million children in India alone,” said Dr. Krishnamurthy.
