Enhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal and Child Health in Africa and Asia

This initiative aims to improve the health and nutrition status of poor and vulnerable mothers newborns and children in select regions by working with local health authorities. It directly addresses malnutrition in the first 1000 days of children's lives in targeted districts and informs national nutrition policies in the targeted countries. Malnutrition is the cause of over 3 million child deaths annually and results in non-communicable conditions such as stunting wasting and anemia as well as poor motor cognitive and social development. The project is being implemented in Bangladesh (Thakurgaon District) Myanmar (Thabaung Township) Kenya (Elgeyo Marakwet county) and Tanzania (Singida and Shinyanga Regions).The effects of malnutrition in these countries are significant with serious social and economic implications. Such conditions are especially pronounced in rural regions such as those targeted by the project. The project is expected to contribute directly to the improved health of approximately 1.64 million individuals including more than 674 000 women 553 000 children and 418 000 men and indirectly reach an estimated 2.1 million individuals who are not targeted by the project but who benefit from the strengthened health system and improved health services. Policy changes in nutrition and wider application of existing policies as a result of the project advocacy efforts also have a positive impact on indirect beneficiaries. The sexual and reproductive health component of this project will directly benefit 1 284 533 people including 549 182 women of reproductive age and 93 430 children under two years of age. Other direct beneficiaries include 309 728 adolescents (10-19 year old girls and boys) 332 194 adult men and 2 148 service providers at facility and community levels. In addition the initiative’s activities targeting Canadian awareness of MNCH are expected to reach over 3 million Canadians. Project activities include: (1) recruiting trainin

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of gender-responsive essential health nutrition and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights services for mothers including adolescents pregnant women women of child-bearing age newborns and children under two; (2) increased production consumption and utilization of nutritious foods and micronutrient supplements by mothers pregnant women women of child-bearing age newborns and children under two; (3) strengthened gender-responsive governance policy and public engagement around maternal newborn and child health and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Canada and target countries.