How to Protect and Promote the Nutrition of Mothers and Children in Latin America and the Caribbean : Country Benchmarking
The study covered a wide range of topics, making data collection especially challenging. Key informants were sometimes new to their posts and were unable to provide details on specific programs, policies, or coverage rates. Few countries in Latin A...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2016
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/12/17058667/protect-promote-nutrition-mothers-children-country-benchmarking-latin-america-caribbean http://hdl.handle.net/10986/23710 |
| Summary: | The study covered a wide range of
topics, making data collection especially challenging. Key
informants were sometimes new to their posts and were unable
to provide details on specific programs, policies, or
coverage rates. Few countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean mainstream into their crisis and emergency plans
protection of the nutritional status of mothers and children
in the first 1,000 days of life. All countries should
reinforce the promotion and protection of breastfeeding in
emergencies, notably by providing an enabling space for
mothers to safely breastfeed their children and by managing
the provision of artificial milk formula. It is concerning
that during emergencies most countries provide powdered
artificial formula instead of ready-to-use artificial milk
formula to infants that cannot breastfeed, greatly
increasing the risks of illnesses and malnutrition as a
result of inappropriate dilution and unsafe water. All
countries need to reinforce their monitoring and evaluation
systems, including surveillance of food and nutrition
insecurity. While most countries have some form of
monitoring system, few of those systems are computerized,
which impairs timely and informed decision making.
Systematic evaluations of emergency and crisis response are
seldom performed. A number of countries would benefit from
updating their nutrition policy and protocols based on the
latest available evidence. Of particular importance are
updates to the prevention and treatment of micronutrient
deficiencies with micronutrient powders; treatment of acute
malnutrition, notably with the use of ready-to-use
supplements; and efficient treatment of diarrhea through the
use of oral rehydration solution and zinc. Most countries
will benefit from adapting the food and water rations given
in emergencies to the specific nutritional needs of pregnant
and lactating women and children <2 years of age. |
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