Nutrition

About nutrition

Nutrition is an important part of human health and development. Undernutrition can stop children from developing to their full physical and cognitive potential, and stifle their academic and professional development. In most cases, chronic malnutrition is an underlying cause of illnesses and death, contributing to around 45% of child mortality.

The World Health Organization Ambition and Action in Nutrition strategy (2016 to 2025) was developed to help set, align and advocate for nutrition priorities and policies. This is supported by the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016 to 2030) which also has nutrition targets. This was reinforced in 2019, when the African Strategic Plan to Reduce the Double Burden of Malnutrition in the African Region (2019 to 2025) – the coexistence of undernutrition and overweight, obesity or diet-related noncommunicable diseases – was adopted. This strategy prioritises multi-sectorial collaboration, universal health coverage and partnerships in the fight against malnutrition.

Our nutrition work

We are helping to improve nutrition through:

  • tracking vitamin A coverage on the continental ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action
  • tracking nutrition specific indicators as part of country RMNCAH scorecard tools
  • supporting countries to develop nutrition-specific scorecard tools

Tracking vitamin A coverage on the continental ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action

Along with malaria, RMNCAH and neglected tropical disease indicators, we also track vitamin A coverage on the continental ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action.

Learn more about the ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action.

Country RMNCAH scorecard tools

National RMNCAH scorecard tools are country-owned and country-led. Each country-level scorecard tool is made up of country selected priority RMNCAH and Nutrition indicators based on the national priorities. We have supported 30 countries to develop and implement RMNCAH scorecard tools.

Supporting countries to develop nutrition-specific scorecard tools

Country-specific nutrition interventions require collaboration across many sectors and ministries. Scorecard tools offer a unique way to facilitate the use and sharing of data across sectors and for broad audiences. For example, in Tanzania, ministries of health, education, finance, agriculture, along with ward development committees and partners are involved.

We have supported separate nutrition scorecard tools for Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania and many other countries are working towards establishing multi-sectoral nutrition scorecard tools.

Country nutrition scorecard tools show the progress being made at sub-national levels (such as regions/counties or districts) and allows comparisons between sub-national levels, easily identifying areas that are performing well or need additional support. They help leaders and actors at different levels make informed data-driven decisions on nutrition, leading to impact. These scorecard tools are used to drive action, such as through addressing upsurges, stock-outs, task-shifting and filling resource gaps.

We have supported several countries to develop and implement nutrition scorecard tools or include nutrition indicators into their combined RMNCAH+nutrition scorecard tools. We help countries:

  • strengthen and institutionalise their scorecard tools to promote transparent data sharing
  • document country best practices to assist fellow countries
  • share their scorecard tools on the ALMA Scorecard Hub

Learn more about country scorecard tools and the support we provide to countries.