Page 86 - 41st Summit Brochure

toward the reduction of stunting, wasting, Achievements Towards Vision 2050 and RISDP
micronutrient deficiencies and overweight. To 2020-2030
facilitate adoption of the SADC technical The harmonization and support for the
regulations for the marketing of breastmilk implementation of Regional Health Policies,
substitutes and the World Health Assembly Strategies and Guidelines remains one of the key
Resolutions (WHA), a series of engagements deliverables of the Health and Nutrition Unit. In
were conducted in 2020 in collaboration with the past year, the Unit managed to develop the
Member States, UNICEF (Headquarters and SADC Regional Tuberculosis Strategy, SADC
Regional Office) and Helen Keller International Human Resource for Health Strategic Plan, the
where the findings and recommendations of the SADC Hygiene Strategy and the SADC
assessment of compliance with the provisions of Regional Malaria Strategy.
WHA 69.9 were shared and roadmaps These regional tools will contribute to the
discussed. achievement of the RISDP 2020-30 Strategic
Furthermore, four follow-up meetings were Objective on strengthening and harmonising
held at Member State level with Mozambique, health systems in the region as well as other
Angola, Namibia and Malawi to review and crosscutting objectives on gender, the elderly
support the development of national laws on the and persons with disabilities.
marketing of breastmilk substitutes. All these The Unit has also been working to support a
efforts are aimed to improve infant and young multi-sectoral approach and partnership to
feeding practices in the region. achieving health outcomes in the region. In the
The SADC Social Behavioural Change last year, working with the TB in the Mining
Communication Strategy was developed and Sector (TIMS) Project Regional Coordinating
validated by Member States in October 2020, Mechanism (RCM) through its Secretariat,
and a toolkit was prepared. The strategy has Member States and the private sector, managed to
synthesised best practices in approaches, prepare and submit a funding request for US$10.5
innovations and greater integration of efforts million to the Global Fund for the third TIMS
towards creating awareness, increasing grant, to be implemented in 2021-2023, starting 1
knowledge and capacity to improve the diets of July 2021. This grant will be expanded beyond the
young children in the region. The toolkit initial 10 countries that have benefited from TIMS
84 provides practical tools for caregivers on the 1 and 2, to cover all 16 countries in SADC.
quality, quantity and frequency of One of the achievements entailed the
complementary feeding. development and approval of the SADC
SADC in collaboration with UNICEF Minimum Standards for Food Fortification by the
conducted a study on the Cost–Benefit Analysis Ministers of Health in November 2020. The
(CBA) to determine the economic value of intention of the minimum standards for food
fortification is to accelerate the adoption of one of
investments in nutrition with the aim to reduce fortification is to accelerate the adoption of one of
the incidence and prevalence of nutritional the cost-effective interventions to address
the cost-effective interventions to address
micronutrient deficiencies in the region and
deficiencies in the region. There is an increasing micronutrient deficiencies in the region and
recognition of the importance of nutrition on facilitate regional trade of fortified commodities.
facilitate regional trade of fortified commodities.
child welfare and on economic growth and The standards include salt iodization; edible
national development. Therefore, investing in vegetable oil (with Vitamin A); and staple foods
vegetable oil (with Vitamin A); and staple foods
such as wheat flour and maize flour (with
ending malnutrition is one of the most cost- such as wheat flour and maize flour (with
beneficial steps that governments can take, with Vitamin A, Iron, Zinc, Folic and Vitamin B12).
Vitamin A, Iron, Zinc, Folic and Vitamin B12).
every US$1 invested in proven nutrition These foods were chosen because they are
These foods were chosen because they are
programmes offering benefits worth US$16. widely consumed by the population and easily
widely consumed by the population and easily
The core recommendations from the CBA accessible. In 2021, focus will be on rolling out
accessible. In 2021, focus will be on rolling out
include strengthening investments in the Standards to SADC Member States
the Standards to SADC Member States to to
facilitate alignment with the national
community nutrition interventions; facilitate alignment with the national
collaborating with other sectors such as regulations/strategies on food fortification.
regulations/strategies on food fortification.
Ministries of Agriculture to ensure food systems In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic increased
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic increased
support in access to affordable nutritious food; the risk of malnutrition due to the lockdown
the risk of malnutrition due to the lockdown
scaling up the 13 high-impact nutrition measures taken by various Member States to to
measures taken by various Member States
interventions to prevent and manage all forms contain the spread of the virus, affecting access
contain the spread of the virus, affecting access
of malnutrition; and ensuring the inclusion of and provision of essential nutrition services due
and provision of essential nutrition services due
key preventive and curative nutrition actions in to restrictions on mass gatherings, affecting
to restrictions on mass gatherings, affecting
national response plans for COVID-19, community outreach services such as as
community outreach services such
including increasing inter-sectoral linkages. immunization, vitamin A supplementation and
immunization, vitamin A supplementation and