The Health Sector Strategy of Nutrition Essentials was developed jointly by LINKAGES/AED project and the Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. It was originally designed for use in East Africa, but has now been applied in other countries with similar nutrition and health problems. The strategy focuses on a package of essential actions at the health facility and community levels to improve the nutrition of pregnant and lactating women and children under two years of age.
The Nutrition Essentials, detailed in tools and papers developed for the strategy, can occur during six service delivery contacts. LINKAGES also supported the development of a wall chart and nutrition job aids for regions with high and low HIV prevalence. The objective of the essential actions is to achieve ten priority outcomes:
1. Prevention and treatment of malaria during pregnancy in endemic areas 2. Prevention and treatment of hookworm infection during pregnancy in endemic areas 3. Adequate food intake during pregnancy and lactation 4. Adequate micronutrient intake (particularly iron) during pregnancy and lactation 5. Exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months 6. Adequate complementary feeding starting at about six months, along with continued breastfeeding to 24 months and beyond 7. Adequate intake of iodine (iodized salt) by all members of the household 8. Adequate intake of vitamin A by all women, infants, and young children 9. Appropriate nutritional care of sick and malnourished children 10. Birth spacing of three years or longer
Learning Objectives: 1) List 10 priority outcomes for nutrition essentials health sector strategy; 2) Identify tools necessary to carry out strategy; 3) Apply and adapt the strategy to particular programming situation.
Keywords: Breast Feeding, Maternal and Child Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: LINKAGES/Academy for Educational Development
Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care, Makerere University - Uganda
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.