New Report Launch: What Works for Nutrition? Stories of Success from Vietnam, Uganda, and Kenya

Join RESULTS UK, Concern Worldwide, and the University of Westminster for the launching of their joint report, ‘What works for Nutrition? Stories of Success from Vietnam, Uganda, and Kenya”. The launch will take place tomorrow, 4 November 2015, in Committee Room 11, Houses of Parliament from 14:00 – 15:00. This report discusses the drivers of progress in tackling multiple forms of malnutrition in these three countries. It also identifies some of the challenges which pose as barriers to sustaining progress. Finally, it makes recommendations for key stakeholders such as governments of high burden countries, donor governments, development partners, and civil society, on their role to promote further success. The world has made significant progress in reducing the number of hungry people by over 200 million since 1990, and has reduced underweight and stunting in children under the age of five years, by over 40%. However, multiple burdens of malnutrition are still a threat to survival, development and progress of individuals and nations. There are still around 160 million children who are stunted, and 50 million children wasted. Additionally, over 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, and around 2 billion who suffer from overweight and obesity. To tackle this scourge of malnutrition, the international community at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2012 endorsed six targets for nutrition to be achieved by 2025. You can read more about them here. While global progress on these targets has been slow and uneven, some countries are making impressive progress to address malnutrition. Vietnam, Uganda, and Kenya are among them.

Kenya reduced under-five deaths by over 40% between 1989 and 2014. Stunting and wasting in children under five years of age was reduced by 9% and 3% respectively between 2008 and 2014, whilst exclusive breastfeeding increased by 30%. Anaemia in women was reduced by nearly 50% between 1999 and 2011. Uganda has achieved the MDG to halve the proportion of population living in extreme poverty, and has transformed the nutrition landscape since the early nineties.  Between 1988 and 2000, the prevalence of stunting in children under the age of five years reduced by only 3%. However, concerted efforts have led to a 11% reduction between 2000 and 2012. Wasting was also reduced by over 3% in five years (2006-2011). It is continuing to strengthen efforts to address malnutrition, and improve child health. Vietnam has boosted agricultural production by more than 60% since 1990s. Futhermore, targeted programmes on health and nutrition have resulted in stunting in children under five years of age being reduced by nearly 60% between 1985 and 2013. Vietnam has reduced Infant and under-five mortality by around 50% between 1990 and 2013, and maternal mortality by over 60% over this period. It has also recently introduced legislations to promote exclusive breastfeeding, and developed Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) using local ingredients, to tackle Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) or severe wasting in children. How did these countries achieve such progress in improving nutrition for children and women, and what are the barriers that prevent further progress? This report is based on data collected through interviews and discussion with stakeholders such as government ministries, international and local development partners, and civil society. Read the report here. For information on the event, or to RSVP, please contact Callum Northcote on [email protected] For more questions on the report, please do not hesitate to get in touch: [email protected]|[email protected]| [email protected]