Gates Foundation to take its Bangladesh nutrition project lessons to other countries

Spectacular success of a nutrition project in Bangladesh has inspired the Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation to take its lessons around the world.

Nurul Islam Hasibbdnews24.com
Published : 25 August 2015, 03:24 PM
Updated : 25 August 2015, 03:28 PM

Ellen Piwoz, senior programme officer on nutrition at the Gates Foundation’s Global Development Program, said the project on improving infant and young child feeding practices funded in three countries was the “most successful” in Bangladesh.

“India is learning from it. We are also thinking to apply this lesson to a new country (for Gates Foundation) Nigeria,” she said in a Skype interview with bdnews24.com just before the release of the Bangladesh’s project evaluation report on Wednesday.

The Gates Foundation implemented the project with the ‘Alive & Thrive’ initiative in malnutrition-burdened three countries – Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Vietnam – for six years between 2008 and 2014.

The project focussed on improving nutrition in infant and young children by increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding, and improving complementary feeding practices.

Piwoz said every country under the project was “terrific”, but Bangladesh had been the “most successful” in reaching the target population.

Bangladesh is a “focussed country” of the Gates Foundation, she said.

The evaluation results that would be officially disseminated on Wednesday in Dhaka showed the programme not just created impact on exclusive breastfeeding but also on complementary feeding practices.

The early initiation of breastfeeding rate has also jumped “remarkably”.

“It was just for good coverage. They reached the most needed population,” she said.  “Bangladesh should be proud of this extensive coverage”.

“We’ll like to see the (Bangladesh) interventions taken up globally.”

Bangladesh project’s model was unique in reaching the target people both through interpersonal counselling by trained frontline workers and through mass media.

The jump of exclusive breastfeeding rate to 64 percent in 2011 from a long 15-year plateau at around 45 percent has been largely credited to the mass media campaign of the ‘Alive & Thrive’ project.

Nutrition has been for long an underinvested area of health and development – in large part because the effects of malnutrition are not always visible, according to the Gates Foundation.

To reverse that trend, the Foundation would be doubling their investment to $776 million over the next six years.

The upcoming new sustainable development agenda also prioritised nutrition with a separate goal 2.

Piwoz said they did not make country-specific budget for the next six year’s phase but previous efforts would be expanded with the addition of newer activities.

“Maternal nutrition will be priority in Bangladesh in the new phase.”

“We are looking forward to working in Bangladesh with government, BRAC, and all the partners in future with our new strategy,” the senior programme officer said.

She, however, cautioned Bangladesh about the marketing of breast milk substitutes, when asked if the aggressive marketing of these products posed any threat.

“When the economy grows, things get better and families have more disposable income, you see deterioration of breastfeeding practices (globally) because marketing for breastfeeding substitutes and other things then increases.”

She stressed on raising awareness about international code on marketing breast-milk substitutes.

“We very much support this code. It’s really important for government to support the code and adhere to the various provisions which include responsibilities of providing accurate information to mothers and children.

“There should be deeper awareness building and education for the policymakers so that they know it (code) exists. If it exists (it) needs to be legislated and enforced.”

The civil society had also an active role to play, she said.

The latest Demographic and Health Survey in 2014 found 36 percent children under-five in Bangladesh too short for their age which was five percentage points lower than the 2011 survey.

At the same period, the underweight rate also declined to 33 percent from 36 percent.