Menon, Purnima

Neupane, Sumanta

Jangid, Manita

Scott, Samuel

Nguyen, Phuong Hong

Kim, Sunny S.

Murira, Zivai

Torlesse, Harriet

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions across the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. In this report, we examined how Maldives’ nutrition policies and programs addressed recommended nutrition actions, determinants, and outcomes. We reviewed population-based surveys and assess the availability of data on nutrition actions, nutrition outcomes, and the determinants of these outcomes. Our policy review identified a total of 53 recommended evidence-based nutrition actions; of these, 49 nutrition actions were applicable in Maldives and 31 were addressed in the country’s nutrition policies and programs. The Maldives nutrition plan (the Integrated National Nutrition Strategic Plan, or INNSP) recognized and addressed all key determinants of nutrition except women’s status (appropriate age of marriage/childbirth) and infectious diseases; the country’s nutrition plan aimed to track progress on all nutrition outcome indicators. Our data review found that of 31 actions addressed by policies and programs, population-based surveys contained data on only 22 actions. Neither of the population-based surveys contained data on a range of actions, including advice on consuming iron and folic acid (IFA) during pregnancy, support for early initiation of breastfeeding and immediate skin-to-skin contact, optimal feeding of low-birth-weight infants, counseling of mothers of low-birth-weight infants on kangaroo mother care (KMC) during delivery and postpartum period, counseling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), growth monitoring, and counseling after growth monitoring during early childhood. The population-based surveys contained data on most of the indicators for immediate and underlying determinants; indicators that were not available included maternal dietary diversity during pregnancy, household food insecurity, and coverage under social protection schemes. With the exception of anemia among non-pregnant women, data on all nutrition outcomes was available in population-based surveys. In conclusion, Maldives should consider updating its national policies and programs to address existing gaps in recommended nutrition actions; in addition, future population-based surveys may also need to be revised to fill identified data gaps around nutrition actions and determinants.

Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies, programs, and outcomes in Maldives?

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. In this report, we examined how Sri Lanka’s nutrition policies and programs addressed the recommended nutrition actions, determinants, and outcomes. We reviewed population-based surveys to assess the availability of data on nutrition actions, nutrition outcomes, and determinants of these outcomes; we also assessed the data availability in administrative data systems for selected nutrition actions. Our policy review identified a total of 53 recommended evidence-based nutrition actions, of which 47 nutrition actions were applicable in Sri Lanka; of these, 44 were addressed in the country’s nutrition policies and programs. Nutrition actions not included in current policies and programs were food supplementation during adolescence and food supplementation for complementary feeding during early childhood. Although policies addressed daily or intermittent iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation during preconception, the country’s preconception care program has not yet implemented it. Sri Lanka’s multisectoral nutrition plan recognized and addressed all key determinants of nutrition except women’s status; the country’s multisectoral nutrition plan and its national nutrition policy were found to also express an intent to track the progress of all Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) nutrition targets for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition and also the indicators related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Our data review found that out of 44 actions that were addressed by Sri Lanka’s policies and programs, the population-based surveys we reviewed contained data on only 22 actions; similarly, out of 15 selected actions we reviewed in the administrative data system, data was available on only five actions. Data was not available in either of the surveys on the following interventions: various types of counseling during pregnancy, optimal timing (delayed) of umbilical cord clamping, indicators related to newborn care and care of low-birth-weight infants, postpartum IFA supplementation and breastfeeding counseling and around delivery and in the postpartum period, counseling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), growth monitoring and identification and treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) during early childhood. In the administrative data source data was not available on IFA supplementation, nutrition counseling and advice on consuming IFA during pregnancy, IFA supplementation during lactation, micronutrient powders (MNPs) and zinc supplementation and on identification and management of SAM and MAM during early childhood. Population-based surveys contained data on most of the indicators on determinants and on all indicators on outcomes. In conclusion, Sri Lanka’s policy landscape for nutrition is robust; however, the gaps in data availability for tracking progress on nutrition are much greater than are the gaps in policies and programs for addressing recommended actions. Future population-based surveys and future modifications of other data systems should aim to fill the identified data gaps for nutrition actions.

Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies, programs, and outcomes in Sri Lanka?

Jangid, Manita

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