Almost half of all Indian children are chronically malnourished and more than 2.4 million die each year from preventable or curable diseases. India has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world. The county’s more than 5.1 million HIV/AIDS cases – second only to South Africa – further threatens health and well-being.

In response, USAID and its partner CARE integrate family health and nutrition. The effort, called Reproductive and Child Health, Nutrition and HIV/AIDS (RACHNA), uses food rations to attract approximately 6.6 million women and children from 95,000 vulnerable communities to local mother-and-child centers (Anganwadi). When participants come to collect their rations, they also receive health services that:

• Distribute micronutrient supplements such as iron-folate and vitamin A, which strengthen immune systems
• Conduct antenatal care check-ups and provide antenatal care
• Immunize children from six vaccine-preventable diseases
• Offer more birth-spacing options for couples
• Educate program participants about HIV/AIDS, dispelling myths and stigmas
• Promote safe sex and life skills to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other social diseases
• Foster practices to help child growth during the first six years of life
• Teach methods for ensuring better health and nutrition.