Mozambique
HKI established an office in Maputo, Mozambique in November 1997 focused on providing technical assistance to micronutrient programs, policies and support to the Ministry of Health in the areas of nutrition and eye care. HKI has since expanded its presence and programs in Mozambique.
Program Descriptions:
Vitamin A Supplementation: HKI, in collaboration with UNICEF and government agencies, led efforts to address vitamin A deficiency in Mozambique. The 2002 Mozambique Ministry of Health (Ministério de Saúde –MISAU)/UNICEF Micronutrient Survey reported the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency as 68.8% among children ages 6-59 months. HKI with the MISAU implemented the first nationwide distribution of vitamin A supplements (VAS) during National Immunization Days (NIDs) for polio and later during Mother and Child Health Care Campaigns with coverage ranging from 80-100% of the target group.
In 2002, the MISAU integrate VAS into routine health services for infants in addition to growth monitoring and vaccination. In 2004, HKI piloted VAS to children under five through mobile clinics and carefully-selected community health workers (CHWs). During the first six months of the pilot project, the health clinics and the CHWs reached 96% of the children in their area. This model expanded to other districts and by the end of 2006, HKI and MISAU trained 730 CHWs covering close to two million children aged 6-59 months in five provinces.
Orange-fleshed Sweet Potatoes: “Eat Orange”, an initiative to increase the consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), has been active in Mozambique since 1999. The OFSPs are a rich source of β-carotene and can help control VAD, which the more popular white-fleshed variety lacks. With HKI providing technical assistance, a new variety of OFSP, with higher vitamin A content, is being promoted by HarvestPlus and World Vision. HKI developed a communication strategy to promote increased consumption of the OFSP, particularly for infants and young children.
The project trained nine nutrition extensionists who identified and trained an additional 970 women nutrition promoters in basic infant and young child nutrition knowledge and practices. These promoters each work exclusively with 10 mothers and their young (under-five) children to improve infant and young child nutrition practices with a focus on the daily consumption of OFSP. Over 9,700 women have been registered and are receiving essential nutrition education that will improve both the vitamin A status and the overall nutritional health of their children.
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Forte Saúde (“Good Health”) with MISAU: HKI partnered with the MISAU to improve the quality and efficiency of health services by aiding in the development of policies, strategies, and guidelines related to maternal and child health and nutrition. Currently, HKI is focusing on implementing and monitoring the minimum package of basic nutrition actions for health facilities. HKI works with MISAU to harmonize nutrition messages throughout all relevant policies and guidelines. The school curricula will be updated and nutrition technicians will be trained throughout Mozambique. Finally, HKI aims to ensure the appropriate nutrition indicators are included in the National Health Information System.
Iron Supplementation: A national survey conducted in 2002 revealed 74% of children under five and 48% of women of childbearing age in Mozambique anemic; meaning many girls in Mozambique risk entering their first pregnancy without sufficient iron stores. HKI, in partnership with UNICEF and the Manica Provincial Directorate of Health, began a community distribution program to deliver iron/folate supplements to pregnant women using community volunteers trained in distribution and counseling. HKI also implemented a school health program to reach adolescent girls and boys by training teachers to deliver weekly supplements; a deworming component was subsequently added to this.
Trachoma Control: In 2001, HKI, in collaboration with MISAU, conducted Mozambique’s first population-based trachoma survey focusing on three districts in the province of Manica. The findings indicated that trachoma was a public health problem with 40% of children under 9 years old with active infections and 4% of adults over the age of 45 presented with trichiasis, the blinding stage of the infection. HKI began a school health program and conducted community eye screenings to identify, treat and refer cases as necessary of trachoma. HKI is currently working with MISAU and several NGO partners to continue survey work in other parts of the country to fully understand the breadth and severity of the problem.
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School Health: HKI’s school health programs in Mozambique were established in Manica Province in 2000, focusing primarily on nutrition and trachoma. Within the nutrition programs, iron supplementation and deworming are the key interventions to improve the health of students as they approach adolescence. Age-specific educational materials promoting a healthy and diversified diet were developed and piloted in 2007. The trachoma control program promoted face washing and the utilization of latrines to prevent the infection. Plans are underway to expand the school health program to include malaria, HIV/AIDS and other health priorities as defined by local authorities and communities. HKI has also begun meeting with teacher training colleges to incorporate school health in their curricula as a means to provide them with comprehensive training and to eventually reduce the need for costly in-service teacher training.
HKI recently received a grant to develop an Essential School Health package to pilot in Manica and Maputo provinces in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The goal of this project is integrating school health into the primary level curriculum. Improved health among children will improve their attendance, their learning potential and thus their educational achievement.
Program Partners
- Chemonics
- CIDA
- the Elma Foundation
- Harvest Plus
- Issroff Family Foundation
- Light-For-The World
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Health
- NABP
- Olhos do Mondo
- Sight Savers International
- UNICEF
- USAID
- W.K. Kellog Foundation
- World Vision International
Key Staff
- Diane Bosch - Country Director
- Mauricio Pene- Deputy Country Director
- Carina Ismael – Technical Advisor Nutrition, vitamin A and HIV & AIDS
- Odete de Sousa - Finance Manager
- Mateus Noé - Provincial Coordinator
Last updated: July, 2008
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