The Program is responsible for designing and implementing regional activities in line with the Resolutions of the ECSA Health Ministers Conferences, other regional and global commitments and relevant Strategic and Business Plans.
Mandate
To undertake activities that contribute to the reduction of malnutrition and Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the ECSA region.
Programme Objectives
- Promote, track and support the implementation of evidence-based relevant nutrition and Food Security policies and programmes in Member States
- Support MS to accelerate implementation of integrated high impact interventions in NCDs, Food Security and Nutrition.
- Support MS to scale up programmes to promote, prevent and control, NCDs and other nutrition deficiencies.
- Build capacity of NCDs, nutrition and food security training institutions.
- Initiate and strengthen Nutrition education programmes for civil society.
- Strengthen leadership and management skills of NCDs, nutrition and food Security programme managers in the MS
- Strengthen documentation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learnt and promote knowledge sharing and utilization
- Promote joint programming and align programme activities within Member States.
Technical Capacity for Nutrition project
To address the capacity gap in the region, ECSA with the support from the World Bank is implementing the capacity development for nutrition program targeting the front line workers.
The comprehensive in service training packages and pre service model curriculum have been developed to build technical capacity of their front line workers for the delivery of essential nutrition interventions at health facilities and community level.
The packages incorporate specific best practices and innovations into pre-service and in-service frontline workers training including the contextualized job aids, and support for improved competences and interpersonal communication skills.
The in service packages and pre service model curriculum were developed and reviewed through the consultative process and piloted prior finalization. Currently the three ECSA countries (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) have already developed the adoption and dissemination plans. The finalized packages are found under resources, they can be used in ECSA and outside the region.
Regional Food Fortification Initiative
Good nutrition is a central to the sustainable development agenda. In realizing this, ECSA Health Community through Food and Nutrition Security Programme implemented a regional food fortification program with a support from USAID.
The Food Fortification Initiative was a response to a Resolution passed by the ECSA Health Ministers in 2002, which directed the Secretariat to “work with the countries to promote food fortification Initiatives”. The programme aimed at addressing the high level of micronutrient deficiencies facing the region.
The vitamin and mineral deficiencies in most of ECSA member states are unacceptably high; affecting children, women of child bearing age throughout the human life cycle.
A number of milestone were realized throughout the implementation of the program including development of regional food fortification standards, development and adoption of food control manuals, establishment of regional laboratory proficiency network and capacity building of more than 100 government officials on designing and implementation of food fortification programs.
From 2015 with the support from USAID through GAIN the second phase of the initiative focusing on capacity building to monitor fortified and nutritious foods is implemented in 13 ECSA countries.
The project focus on strengthening countries capacities to monitor the quality, safety and impact of manufactured fortified and nutritious foods and facilitate the sharing of good and promising practices related to the thematic areas.
The activities undertaken in this projects are coordinated through the four technical working groups which were formed during the first regional meeting namely; Production, QA/QC and Food Safety WG, Inspection and Enforcement WG and Consumption Monitoring and Program Impact WG and regional laboratory working group.
Project Objectives:
- Build human capacity to monitor industry-manufactured nutritious and fortified foods in East, Central, and Southern Africa by means of strengthening the inter-institutional and inter-country cooperation and coordination in the areas of food control, enforcement, and inspection.
- Sensitize and train personnel and local professionals and facilitate their continued communication and collaboration within regional initiatives for food safety and quality.
Other Program works:
Facilitation of learning and exchange
The program supported a number of capacity development activities and technical visit to member states which resulted into strengthened multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination and clear definition of nutrition activities in country’s nutrition action plans. Since the launch of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement, ECSA have been supporting the member states who have joined the movement to build on ENA framework to effectively scale up nutrition.
The program has accomplished a number of other activities including development of regional food security and nutrition strategy in which NCDs aspects are well covered, capacity building to member states to scale up nutrition through exchange visit and sharing best practices.