SCN News No 36 - UNSCN

www.unsystem.org/scn 57
Working Groups
WORKING GROUP ON BREASTFEEDING AND COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING
Chair: David Clark (UNICEF), Co-Chairs: Isatou Jallow (WFP) and Kay Dewey (University of California, Davis)
Highlights from discussions 2 and 5 March
Kay Dewey reported on efforts to set up a Maternal and Infant and Young
Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Forum, including the need for the forum, its proposed
objectives and anticipated benefits. See also recommendations.
David Clark reported that UNICEF had endorsed the Innocenti Declaration
2005, translated and published it in 6 UN languages, plus Italian, carrying the
UNICEF logo, and shared with UNICEF Executive Board during 2007.
UNICEF, WHO and other partners are working closely with the Partnership
on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; the prevalence of early initiation of
breastfeeding (within the first hour) has been included as a Countdown to 2015
indicator for the first time in 2008, meaning that it is recognised and promoted
as an intervention essential for the attainment of MDGs 4 and 5.
Two country presentations focused on Experiences of complementary feeding
from Oportunidades Program in Mexico, Salvador Villalpando (National
Institute of Public Health) and Community-based Mother-Baby friendly neonatal
care units in Zambia, Agness Aongola (Ministry of Health)
Robert Black, Johns Hopkins University, presented the Lancet Nutrition Series
and Implications for Policies and Programs, with focus on breastfeeding
and complementary feeding/supplementation and consideration of improving
zinc intake including supplementation/fortification
Regarding the Revitalization and expansion of BFHI, Kay Dewey presented
a comparison between two health facilities, one in Peru and the other in the
U.S. BFHI tools are available on the WHO website, but they are not used. A
planned WHO meeting in June 2008 meeting in Geneva for BFHI Managers
from Industrialized countries could indicate the beginning of new activities.
Bernadette Daelmans (WHO) reported on the New/revised indicators for
IYCF, including history and research questions. See also page
Nune Mangasaryan (UNICEF) discussed Growth monitoring promotion:
intervention or platform for action? describing the history of GM/P from the
1960s to the 2007 consultation that defines Growth monitoring (GM) as the
process of following child growth rate in comparison to a standard and Growth
monitoring and promotion (GMP) as a preventive and promotive activity that
uses GM to facilitate communication and interaction with caregiver.
Comments to the Lancet Nutrition Series: The LNS represents an important
platform to advocate for greater attention, support and financing for programmes
supporting optimal infant and young child nutrition, although certain
limitations in the series will require explanation when using the findings for advocacy
purposes. This included the fact that certain interventions were not included
on the list of “effective” interventions because of lack of published evidence.
A good example is the BFHI, with the result that breastfeeding counselling
is the only intervention included in the calculation of the impact of breastfeeding
interventions, without mentioning the fact that breastfeeding needs to
be protected, promoted and supported via multiple channels. The WG acknowledged
that the importance of complementary feeding is underestimated
in the series, while poor complementary feeding remains the main obstacle to
improving the nutritional status of children in the 6-24 months age group. On
the other hand, the calculation in respect of the impact of zinc supplementation
was based on efficacy studies alone, and the actual impact in supplementation
programmes is thus likely to be lower. The WG noted that the series does not
provide any programming guidance to governments or implementing agencies.
Topics discussed
MIYCN Forum
Indicators
• New/revised indicators on IYCF
• Early breastfeeding in Countdown
Revitalization and expansion of BFHI
Lancet Nutrition Series
Growth Monitoring and Promotion
Country reports: Mexico, Zambia
Innocenti Declaration
MIYCN Forum Recommendations
1. The Task Force should continue
to work on the setting up of the
Forum with the proposed objectives
related to sharing information
on programme relevant research,
reviews, meta-analysis,
evaluations, survey data, programme
implementation and
monitoring by organizations and
governments, current and future
activities and programmes of
NGOs and funders, and to discuss
private sector initiatives and
public-private partnerships
2. The Group recommends proceeding
on a progressive basis, starting
with newsletter/website while
working on the holding of a meeting.
3. The Task Force should consider
holding the first forum meeting as
a satellite to the 2009 Micronutrient
Initiative Meeting.
4. The Forum should also consider
the issue of infant feeding in
emergencies and should include
a rigorous assessment of field
activities in all aspects of IYCN.
This requires the marrying of academic
research with field programs,
including food security
and economic issues.
For more details, please see
Working Group report and
presentations at the SCN Session
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