UNICEF Pakistan: Child Nutrition Fund support in Pakistan 2024

How can we better support mothers to secure a healthier future for Tanzania? Maternal nutrition is not just a health issue it is an investment in the next generation. Breastfeeding and proper maternal diets remain powerful tools in the fight against malnutrition. Yet, too many mothers still face barriers in accessing the right support and resources. This is a call to action. The Ministry of health in Tanzania, Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC) are leading locally, but the challenge requires all of us. Global partners including UNICEF, World Health Organization, World Food Programme, Save the Children International , Nutrition International are working tirelessly and stronger partnerships can make an even greater impact. 🤝 By uniting government, development organizations, the private sector, and communities, we can empower mothers, reduce malnutrition, and build a healthier Tanzania. The time to act is now. Together, let’s invest in mothers and nurture a stronger future. #MaternalNutrition #CallToAction #PublicHealth #Tanzania #GlobalHealth #breatfeeding #Nutrition

🔊 This week, the Malnutrition Advocacy Fund (MAF) team was on Capitol Hill meeting with Members of Congress to advocate for bold action on maternal and child nutrition. In this video, hear from our CEO, Amit Paley, on why U.S. made Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), a cost-effective and proven prenatal vitamin, can transform maternal health around the world. For the first time ever, Congress is introducing authorizing legislation this week to expand global access to prenatal vitamins. At MAF we’re making sure these essential solutions are supported by Congress and fully funded to reach those who need them most. Follow along as we turn evidence-based advocacy into political action. Together, we can ensure no child dies of hunger. #MMS #NutritionAdvocacy #MaternalHealth

During the NSN Conference in Port Harcourt, I had the privilege of presenting a poster on "Factors Associated with Preconceptual Micronutrient Supplementation Behaviour of Women of Reproductive Age in Selected Areas in Abia State". Our findings revealed a gap that calls for action - 83.4% of WRA were aware of micronutrient supplementation - 87.5% had positive attitude towards MNS - Yet 57.1% had poor knowledge Now, when we tried finding out when they usually take this supplements, we found out that 35.5% took it when they were lacking appetite and 33.0% took it when they are recovering from sickness. It was only 29.2% that took this supplement after menstruation. This highlights a critical gap because there's high level of awareness and also positive attitude towards micronutrient supplementation, but knowledge and proper practice remains low. This calls for urgent, targeted educational interventions! not just raising awareness, but equipping women with the right knowledge to apply it correctly which includes knowing when to take MNS, health implications of micronutrient deficiencies and general benefits of MNS. Strengthening community-based nutrition education and integrating supplementation guidance into primary healthcare could make all the difference in improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes. #MYCN #Nutrition #NSN2025 #Micronutrientsupplemation

Encouraging news from #Pakistan’s #nutrition sector: An evaluation of the Benazir Income Support Programme’s (BISP) Adolescent Nutrition Conditional Cash Transfer initiative shows that the pilot has successfully reduced #anaemia risk among adolescent girls. The programme, implemented with support from Nutrition International, UNICEF, WFP, and others, reached over 100,000 adolescent girls. It provided weekly iron and folic acid supplementation, nutrition education for girls and their mothers, and conditional cash transfers to mothers. #Adolescence is a critical window for breaking the cycle of #malnutrition. With over 54% of adolescent girls in Pakistan anaemic (NNS 2018), such integrated approaches—linking health, social protection, and education—are vital for improving health, empowerment, and human capital development. This pilot demonstrates how cash + care + knowledge can work together to improve adolescent nutrition outcomes. Scaling such initiatives nationally could transform the future for millions of girls. Congratulations Shabina Raza Country Director Nutrition International Pakistan Anteneh G. Minas, (PhD) World Food Programme Pakistan team UNICEF Pakistan Bilquees Gayas Manoj Kumar Richard Morgan Surabhi Mittal Read more in Dawn: https://lnkd.in/exZAMVcB

💡 Adaptive Evidence in Action: Nutrition Vulnerability Analysis (NVA) I recently attended a webinar by the Global Nutrition Cluster on the Nutrition Vulnerability Analysis (NVA), a tool designed for high-risk, low-access contexts where traditional nutrition assessments (like MUAC) are impossible. 🔍 By applying the UNICEF Conceptual Framework for Malnutrition, the NVA consolidates remote data and expert consensus to assess key drivers like food insecurity, disease, and WASH collapse. The result: a credible, actionable narrative that informs institutional frameworks like the IPC and mobilizes life-saving responses. 📊 Why this matters in practice: The Gaza case study (May 2024) illustrates how the NVA brings hidden crises to light: 93% of children (6–23 months) consumed ≤2 food groups daily 96% of Pregnant & Breastfeeding Women faced the same 85% of parents skipped meals for their children These converging factors pushed the most vulnerable to Extremely Critical levels. Similar applications in Myanmar confirm how the NVA helps coordinate urgent, large-scale responses even when direct data collection is blocked. 🌍 The key lesson: when access is blocked, innovation ensures evidence still drives action. #Nutrition #HumanitarianResponse #FoodSecurity #GlobalHealth #EvidenceBased #ChildNutrition #GazaCrisis #PublicHealth #HumanitarianInnovation

In Badakhshan, the Central Asia Stunting Initiative (CASI) has shown that real change is possible when communities come together. The results are inspiring: 👶 Children’s dietary diversity grew from 7.5% to 20.7% 🤱 Exclusive breastfeeding rose from 64.0% to 80.9% 🚰 More families gained access to safe water and sanitation 📉 Stunting declined from 52.3% to 37.3% (p = 0.001, Cohen’s h = 0.30) 💉 Anemia prevalence went down ⚠️ However, food insecurity remained a challenge, shifting from 94.7% to 30.5% For the full story, explore the article.

This UNICEF Liberia #evaluation report highlights critical #nutrition issues in #Liberia. 1 in 3 children <5 yrs old are stunted, and micronutrient deficiencies are widespread. The need for comprehensive services, updated policies, and increased funding is urgent. 🗝️ Key Recommendations: - Revise nutrition policies - Expand Direct Nutrition Interventions (DNIs) - Strengthen health systems - Promote community awareness 🔗Read the full #evaluation report: https://lnkd.in/eqCifs4g 👈 #StandUpToStunting Souraya Hassan.H, Dalila Ahamed, Sevara Hamzaeva, Odette Nsabimana, Odette Nsabimana, Mercy Kolok, Ahmad Farid Takkal, Kerry Albright, Robert McCouch

UNICEF 2025 Child Nutrition Report "In 2025, the global prevalence of obesity among school-age children and adolescents exceeded underweight for the first time. It describes how food environments expose children and adolescents to a constant supply of cheap and aggressively marketed ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, while failing to make nutritious options available and affordable.  It also explains how the lack of effective policies leaves countries unprepared to safeguard children and adolescents from these harmful food environments." https://lnkd.in/daVXkZ2T

Our cost-effectiveness analysis reveals that fortifying cooking oil and milk with Vitamins A and D could avert over 1 million Years of Life Lost (assuming a 23% mortality reduction) at only $17 per DALY averted. This delivers a remarkable cost-benefit ratio of 416:1. Compared to supplementation programs costing $26 million, fortification offers broader population reach through widely consumed staples at lower cost, making it one of the most cost-effective public health interventions available. Proud to share that our paper "Cost-effectiveness of oil and milk fortification by scale for reducing Vitamin A and Vitamin D deficiency in India" has been published co-authored with Abhishek Kumar, Anirudhan P Edathil, Rajan Sankar, Nimmathota Arlappa, Sirimavo Nair, Mona Duggal, and William Joe.While written for broad accessibility, the study's rigorous DALY-based methodology and comprehensive cost-benefit analysis offer compelling evidence for scaling fortification programs nationwide. The full study can be accessed at: https://lnkd.in/g8eMDnjH #FoodFortification #PublicHealth #Nutrition #Costeffectiveness #India

🥗 Maternal & Child Nutrition in Africa: The Untapped Potential In my last post, I spoke about how maternal and child nutrition is central to nation-building. Let’s take the conversation a step further — this time, focusing on Africa. 📊 The reality check: In West and Central Africa, 56% of pregnant women are anaemic (USAID, 2015). More than 30% of children under 5 are stunted in sub-Saharan Africa (UNICEF, 2023). Rising maternal obesity is fueling complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and neonatal risks. Breastfeeding rates are improving, but formula dependence still deprives many infants of essential protection against infections. 🔎 What this means: Africa is facing a double burden of malnutrition — undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies on one hand, and obesity on the other. Both are driving maternal and child mortality, limiting human capital, and slowing progress towards the SDGs. 💡 Solutions are within reach: Iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy (shown to cut anaemia risk by up to 70%). Fortification of staple foods with iron, vitamin A, and zinc. Exclusive breastfeeding promotion — one of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce under-5 mortality. Adolescent nutrition programs to prepare the next generation of mothers before pregnancy begins. 🌍 The bigger picture: For Africa to fully unlock its demographic dividend, nutrition must move from the margins to the mainstream of public health programming. Without tackling malnutrition, our nations risk building on shaky foundations. 👉 I’d love to hear your perspective: Which nutrition intervention do you think should be prioritized right now in Africa to drive the biggest impact? #MaternalHealth #ChildNutrition #AfricaHealth #GlobalHealth #PublicHealth #NationBuilding #SDGs