Nutrition International (NI) in partnership with Nutrition Wing, MoNHSR&C has organized national dissemination event under the theme “Right Start Initiative Pakistan, Accelerating Women and Girls’ Nutrition” at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad.
The objectives of this event were to share journey of Right Start Initiative project over three years in seven intervention districts across three provinces. The presenters compared the project baseline and end line survey findings around maternal, newborn and child nutrition indicators.
Speakers of the seminar disseminated evaluation studies’ results on Community Health Workers outreach model and Kangaroo Mother Care and shared key findings from Knowledge, Attitude and Practices survey on anemia amongst adolescents.
Director Nutrition, MoNHSR&C Dr. Baseer Achakzai welcomed the audience and said the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination is a government agency responsible for health system in Pakistan.
Dr. Aisha Fatima, National Program Manager NI talked about the Journey of Right Start Initiative in Pakistan. She said NI launched project based on needs highlighted in National Nutrition Survey 2011-2012 for addressing the maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition issues, and systematic baseline assessment.
The key approach was to ensure continuum of care by capitalizing on the first ‘’1000 days’’ to reduce anemia in pregnant women, avert complications during pregnancy, ensure safe delivery by a skilled birth attendant and optimal care of the newborn at birth and adequate care of the mother after delivery.
NI piloted the program in three districts (namely Lodhran (Punjab), Jamshoro (Sindh) and Swabi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) which was then scaled up to four new districts across two provinces which included Nowshera and Mardan in KP, Khairpur and Mirpurkhas in Sindh.