The World Health Organization, UNICEF and the nutritionists of the country discussed the further development of the nutrition agenda in Uganda in a one-day symposium, which was convened by the Ministry of Health, under the topic of strengthening the nutrition information system.
The aim of the symposium was to provide a platform for the exchange of experiences on the successes and challenges of processing and disseminating nutritional information. It focused on efforts by governments and nutrition partners to strengthen the collection and management of nutritional data from the health system at both community and facility level and to introduce innovations to support the digitization of reports, analysis and use of nutrition information systems in Uganda and to share experiences the linking of nutritional information systems in different sectors.
Ugandan Ministry of Health’s Deputy Commissioner for Nutrition Samalie Namukose said: “This year’s symposium comes at a time when the world is being reminded of the importance of collecting, analyzing and using data in decision-making, like in the current COVID19 pandemic. ”And Uganda, with the support of its partners and stakeholders, is working to ensure that nutritional data reflect the situation in the country and that measures are taken to close the identified gaps, she continued.
“Improved management, dissemination and use of nutritional data at the national, regional and district levels will ensure a great push in the right direction to strengthen nutritional interventions and monitor global nutrition goals,” said Dr. Bodo Bongomin WHO at the event.
“Well-nourished children have better chances of robust physical, mental and cognitive development. They tend to have better disease immunity and are likely to be more productive in adulthood. ”–Paul Mbaka, Deputy Commissioner – Department of Health Information, Department of Health.
Uganda is committed to tracking and reporting on specific nutritional indicators set by the World Health Assembly and the United Nations in the Sustainable Development Goals. These include emaciation in children, underweight in women of childbearing age, anemia in women of childbearing age, low birth weight, overweight in children, exclusive breastfeeding, overweight and obesity in women, adolescents and children, iron supplementation, breastfeeding advice.
The symposium was carried out as part of the results of the Uganda Nutrition Action Plan II, which was launched in September 2020. On the one hand, it aimed to ensure that children under 5 years of age, growing girls, pregnant and breastfeeding women and other vulnerable groups have access to and use of nutrition-specific offers; on the other hand, to strengthen the enabling environment for the expansion of nutritional interventions.
The UNAPII reports that only 65.5% of infants under 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed, 10% of newborns are born with low birth weights, and 29% of children under five are stunted. These figures show that the burden of malnutrition is still high in this group. Routine data from the Ministry of Health showed that the proportion of malnourished children under five rose from 6.4% in June 2021 to 22.4% in July 2021, with the highest increases in Karamoja, Kitgum, Ntoroko, Kampala, Kibale and districts Mityana was recorded. Such elevations require further investigation to identify the underlying cause of the elevation in cases in order to initiate an appropriate response.
The adult population of Uganda also suffers from malnutrition. According to UDHS 2016, 28.5% of women of childbearing age have anemia and 4.7% of adult women have diabetes, compared with 4.4% of men. 8.6% of women and 1.8% of men are now obese.
To fill this gap, the Ministry of Health is conducting several nutritional interventions. One of these measures is to improve the tracking of nutrition indicators. WHO and UNICEF are running a 4-year project through the Ministry of Health to strengthen national nutrition information systems. With financial support from the European Commission, the NIS project aims to increase the uptake of nutritional information in order to generate evidence to support the development of strategies and programs as well as the implementation and monitoring of nutrition programs.
This project aims to revise the national frameworks for monitoring nutrition by filling important gaps in nutrition data; refined data acquisition system for existing HMIS; improved human resources for the collection, analysis, interpretation, communication and quality control of nutritional data; Improvement of the data management system; and improved dissemination of NIS information.
The symposium also discussed recommendations for promoting the nutritional agenda in the country in others to ensure the good health of Ugandans, especially children under five and pregnant women.
“There is a need to improve acute malnutrition management through routine coaching, mentoring and supportive supervision in integrated acute malnutrition management and mortality testing,” said Ms. Nabunya Phoebe, nutritionist at WHO.
Providing close support from the Department of Health and nutrition partners, including WHO, to the districts during planning and implementation to strengthen ownership and governance oversight of nutrition services provided in the health system.
Distributed by the APO Group on behalf of the World Health Organization – Uganda.
