Nutrition Stakeholders in Sierra Leone with leadership from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS)  and technical support from WHO ended a 3 day micronutrient stakeholder consultative technical workshop on 12 April 2013 in Freetown. The meeting was held to engage partners to come up with concrete strategies and recommendations that will guide a successful conduct of the 2013 National Micronutrient Survey as well as to finalize the survey protocol. The opening session of the meeting was graced by Mr Foday Sawie, Deputy Minister-II of MoHS. Mr Sawie commended WHO and UNICEF for supporting the process and assured the commitment of the Ministry in leading the planning process and full implementation of the survey. He expressed the Ministry’s interest in acting on the findings and recommendations of the survey. Dr Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo from the WHO Inter Country Support Team in W/Africa who is in the country to support the process highlighted the Organization’s commitment in improving nutrition and affirmed its continued support in the process.

The general objective of the planned micronutrient survey is to determine the prevalence and severity of selected micronutrient deficiencies in Sierra Leone and to ascertain the nutritional and health status of children aged  6-59 months and women of reproductive age (pregnant and non-pregnant women aged     15-49 years). The micronutrient to be surveyed will include Vitamin A, iron, vitamin B12, folate and Iodine deficiencies and associated factors among the targeted population. At a more detailed level, the survey is expected to inform the development of an integrated action plan for the control of micronutrient deficiencies.

The Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey 2008 results indicate a high malnutrition rate among children less than 5 years. The survey will therefore be undertaken to provide updated information that will guide decision-making on future interventions. The government of Sierra Leone is in the process of finalizing a National Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan, the draft of which proposes strengthening of actions to improve micronutrient status.

The survey will be implemented by the MoHS in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, WFP, Helen Keller International and other nutrition partners. The collaboration among the various partners is expected to contribute to an     appropriate intervention to reduce micronutrient deficiencies, establishment of a micronutrient surveillance system and facilitate advocacy for allocation of resources in-line with scaling-up nutrition movement and global goal of   eliminating micronutrient deficiencies. WHO is providing technical support for the planning process and conduct of the survey.

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For More Information contact:

World Health Organization, 21 A and B Riverside Drive, off King Harman Road, Freetown
Phone : 232-22-233565 , +232-76-777878;

e-mail: whosl [at] sl.afro.who.int (whosl[at]sl[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Website www.whosierraleone.org