Malnutrition is associated with half of all deaths in children under the age of five. Yet despite the urgent need, leadership in supporting newer, more ambitious strategies and objectives has been sorely lacking. MSF therefore took the opportunity to bring together a number key players in the nutrition community ahead of the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition in Hanoi, Vietnam in March of this year. The aim was to stimulate the debate on how best to address acute malnutrition in young children. Below is a summary of each session, along with the speaker’s presentation:
I. Therapeutic ready-to-use food in African countries: recent experiences and innovations
No Double Standard: Dr. Martin Bloem, World Food Programme
Recipes Matter: the Devil is in the Detail: Professor Michael Golden, University of Aberdeen
Using Nutritional Science to Save More Children’s Lives in Areas with Pervasive Undernutrition: Professor Tsinuel Girma, Jimma University, Ethiopia
From Treatment to Prevention of Severe Acute Malnutrition - Use of RUTF in Maradi, Niger: Dr. Isabelle Defourny, MSF, France
II. Supplemental feeding targeting children under the age of three
Current Practice in the Treatment of Moderate Malnutrition in Emergencies: Dr. Carlos Navarro, Consultant, France
How the World Food Program is Modifiying their Strategies: Dr. Saskia de Pee, Nutritionist, WFP
Design and Evaluation of a Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement to Enrich Local Complementary Foods: Professor Kay Dewey, University of California-Davis
III. Asian Strategies to reduce malnutrition
New Strategies and Practice on Programmes to Address Malnutrition in Vietnam: Dr. Khan, National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam
India and Acute Malnutrition in Children: Dr. Veena Shatrugna, National Institute of Nutrition in India
Solutions Promoted by the Right to Food Movement: Dipa Sinha, Right to Food Movement, India