Nepal Initiatives on Nutrition

Implementation of nutrition programmes and interventions have historically been led by the health sector. The health sector in Nepal is guided by the Interim Constitution, which has provisioned health as the fundamental right for every citizen...Read More...

Existing Nutrition Programs in Nepal

There are nationwide nutrition programs and scale-up programs. They are listed as follows:

   1)  Nationwide Programs:

• Growth Monitoring and Counseling
• Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency Anemia
• Prevention, Control and Treatment of Vitamin A Deficiency
• Prevention of Iodine Deficiency Disorders
• Control of Parasitic Infestation by Deworming
• Flour Fortification via Large Roller Mills

   2)  Scale-up Programs:

• Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Program
• Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) 
• Micronutrient Powder (MNP) distribution linked with IYCF
• School Health and Nutrition Program
• Vitamin A Supplementation to address low coverage in 6 - 11 months
• Multisector Nutrition Plan (MSNP)

Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives of Nutrition Programs:

        

        A.  Vision:
All Nepalese people living with adequate nutrition, food safety and food security for adequate physical, mental and social growth and development and survival.

        B.  Mission:
Improve the overall nutritional status of children, women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and all ages.

        C.  Goal:
To achieve nutritional well-being of all people to maintain a healthy life

      D.1. General Objectives:
To enhance nutritional well-being, reduce child and maternal mortality and to contribute for the equitable human development

      D.2  Specific Objectives:

• To reduce Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM) in children and reproductive aged women
• To reduce the prevalence of anemia among women and children <40% by 2017
• To virtually eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders and Vitamin A Deficiency
• To reduce the infestation of intestinal worms among children and pregnant women
• To reduce the prevalence of low birth weight

Overall strategies of Nutrition Programs are as follows:

• Promotion of food-based approach
• Food Fortification
• Supplementation of Foods
• Promotion of Public Health Measures

There are several other projects on Nutrition like:

• SUAAHARA
• Agriculture and Food Security Project (AFSP)
• Golden 1000 Days Project
• SABAL Project

Moreover, CB-IMNCI, which was initiated in 2015, also addresses major childhood killer diseases, and malnutrition is one of them, which is on priority.

References:

MoHP, DoHS, National Annual Report, FY(2071/72)

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. HACCP is a system for analyzing, understanding and controlling a food manufacturing process to ensure safety. There are two core elements: "prerequisite programs" (such as GMP's - Good Manufacturing Practices) and the HACCP plan/process itself. HACCP is designed to be applied to every aspect of the food industry from "farm to table", including growth, harvest, processing, distribution, and sales.

Overall the HACCP system strives to clearly discover potential problems in food safety and also identify what must be controlled to prevent hazards/risk. This requires the use of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures / written instructions), the generation of accurate, accountable records for all process steps and measurements as well as the employment of appropriately trained staff.

Why Employ a HACCP Program?

There are many solid reasons to employ a HACCP program to prevent hazards which may arise during food processing. A few examples include:

• Ensure consistency of process, product quality, and safety
• Legal/regulatory requirements (depending on jurisdiction)
• Focus efforts and resources on "critical" priority areas in a process
• "prevent" problems rather than "react"
• Competitiveness - international recognition
• Improved fiscal returns/finances
• Alignment with other recognized quality systems (GMP, ISO, etc.)
• Reduce potential legal liability
• Enhanced consumer confidence
• Better sales and marketing of approved products

Finally, HACCP itself is a living process. Organizations typically start with too many critical control points in their initial HACCP documentation and pare these down to truly "critical" control points over the course of internal and external audits and review.