Basic Nutrition Program heralded a success

May 12, 2008 News

…expanded to 30 health centres

So successful and impacting has the Basic Nutrition Program been that Government and the IDB have taken the decision to extend it to 30 additional health centres throughout the country.
This means that 79 centres, which represent more than half of the health centres in Guyana, are now covered.

Additionally, as a result of the remarkable ability of the nutritional sprinkles to reduce anaemia in children, the Ministry of Health has undertaken to roll out this aspect of the program nationally.
The initiative is being incorporated at every health centre in Guyana. This means that every child who falls within the age range of 6 –24 months will now benefit.

The roll-out program began at eight health centres in November and December of 2007, and the others came on board between January and February this year.

According to Head of the Health Sector Development Unit, Keith Burrowes, another factor that has influenced the expansion of the BNP was the large request from other health centres for the services.

“The large number of unserved areas surrounding the project centres was another consideration for the expansion of the program.” He noted.

It was also noted that there were areas that were critical in terms of the malnutrition component, which carried a large number of beneficiaries and really needed support.

As such, it was decided that other health centres in Regions Two, Three, Four and Six would be brought on board.

Initially, the BNP had targeted some 15,000 beneficiaries, but only about 10,000 persons were being served through the 49 project centres.

It is estimated that the additional 30 centres will now reach the additional 5000 beneficiaries.
“At the moment, more than 200 residents in Number 64 Village in Region Six, 400 in West Ruimveldt, as well as others in areas such as Lodge, Kitty/Campbellville, Buxton, Beterverwagting and Plaisance are benefiting from the expanded program.” Burrowes said.

The Basic Nutrition Program which began in 2003 is funded and implemented by the Government of Guyana (GoG) with a loan of 5 million USD from the IDB, and 1.4million from the GoG.

The primary objective of the BNP is to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in children from six to twenty- four months old and to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in pregnant women.

Anaemia can cause haemorrhaging during delivery, and can sometimes result in death.

The child-feeding component of the program has the objectives of accomplishing for beneficiaries exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and improved practices of complementary feeding for young children between six and twenty-four months of age.

This is being achieved primarily through the distribution of food coupons and Sprinkles on a monthly basis to pregnant women and mothers of young children.

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Basic Nutrition Program heralded a success

…expanded to 30 health centres

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