Nutrition
Malnutrition accounts for one third of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Despite impressive gains in economic growth 23% of the Lao population and 37% of children under five are still undernourished, with little improvement over the past decade. It is becoming increasingly clear that the MDGs will not be achieved without immediate, decisive and integrated action on nutrition.
Achievements
Malnutrition was first highlighted as a key issue for the Lao PDR through the Round Table Process. Since then, the Government of the Lao PDR has introduced an integrated package of essential services aimed at improving Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health services – three groups most at risk of malnutrition.
Progress has also been made in some areas of intervention such as distribution of iodized salt and vitamin A, deworming programs, insecticide treated bed nets and most recently exclusive breastfeeding education.
In a major achievement and after extensive consultation with Development Partners, the first National Nutrition Strategy and National Plan of Action on Nutrition have been developed. The cross-cutting Strategy provides guidance for all agencies in the nutrition sector. The Strategy is based on a holistic causal analysis of the malnutrition situation in Lao PDR and forms a comprehensive approach to address the underlying problems from a farm to table food chain perspective.
The breadth and depth of the Strategy aims to fast track existing efforts and break the current trends in malnutrition to achieve the priority development goals of the Government, including the MDGs.
It is anticipated that, should all Priority 1 actions identified in the strategy be implemented, it would reduce the burden of disease and negative economic impact of malnutrition by around 50% and have a benefit/cost ratio of around 30.
Future directions
The 7th NSEDP identifies the importance of ensuring adequate nutrition and food security for the Lao people in order to achieve the goals of the 7th NSEDP as well as the Millennium Development Goals.
The Plan sets the following targets for nutrition by 2015:
- decrease the proportion of stunted children under five years to 34%
- decrease the proportion of wasted children under five years to 4%
- decrease the proportion of children under five suffering from anaemia to 30%
- decrease anaemia among women of reproductive age to 25%.
Children under two will be the highest priority followed by children under five and pregnant and lactating women. In terms of interventions, focus will be on proven interventions that are able to have a fast impact on the overall goal indicators.
To achieve the National Nutrition Strategy, the Government has established a national task force, led by the National Science Council to improve leadership and cross-sectoral coordination on nutrition issues, as well as oversee activities such as training of village health workers, collaboration with mass organizations, and leveraging of resources.
Delivery channels are also being strengthened to create effective social safety nets to ensure the basic needs of the most vulnerable and prevent negative coping strategies (e.g. selling productive assets, taking children out of school, or reducing the consumption of food) in times of hardship.