Nutrition Capacity Development in Middle East

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Nutrition Capacity Development in Middle East
North Africa Region MENANA

• Dr. Azza Gohar
• Director of National Nutrition Institute
• Cairo, Egypt
• MENANA COORDINATOR

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• The Middle East and North African Nutrition
  Capacity Building Initiative is part of a global
  initiative spearheaded by UNU / FNP / IUNS for
  Development of Human and Institutional Capacity
  Nutrition.

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How it Started

• An Egyptian Nutrition Capacity Building/
  Development Task Force was the first to be
  established in the region in 2003
• Members of the task force are scientists
  nutritionists from different organizations and
  universities in Egypt.
• It was housed by the National Nutrition Institute
  (NNI) Egypt

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National Egyptian Task force activities in
Nutrition Capacity Building/ National Level

• National Nutrition Strategy / WHO
• National FBDG / UNICEF
• National Food Composition Tables / FAO
• National Flour Fortification Program / WFP
• Building National Capacity in statistical
  analysis of data /UNU/IUNS

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• First Regional Workshop on Nutrition Capacity
  Development was held in Cairo Egypt, for two
  consecutive days (14-15 July 2004) .
• It was organized, hosted and conducted by the
  National Nutrition Institute/ Egypt and the
  Egyptian Task Force for Nutrition Capacity
  Building and Development

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• The workshop was funded and supported by UNU/FNP.
  Dr. Cutberto Garza / UNU
• IUNS supported the the workshop and Dr. Osman
  Galal Secretary General of IUNS invited many
  country representatives through IUNS Adhering
  Bodies.

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• The meeting was attended by 33 participants
  representing 11 countries from the region (Sudan
  Kuwait - Lebanon Oman Libya Saudi Arabia
  Yemen Jordan Palestine Egypt ) and
  various Egyptian Organizations Institutes under
  the patronage of the Egyptian Minister of Health
  and Population.

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• (Bahrain-Iran) supported the meeting but the
  representatives could not attend
• IUNS was represented by two members, Dr Osman
  Galal and Dr Ibrahim El Madfaa.

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• FAO and UNICEF were represented by one member
  each.
• WHO representative could not attend

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• One of the main workshop outcomes was preparing
  10-year action plan developed by the workshop
  participants.
• The plan was subdivided into 5 core areas
  (Nutrition Research, Nutrition Training,
  Nutrition Academic Education Accreditation,
  Nutrition Advocacy / Education Communication,
  Nutrition Networking) which was based on a
  pre-developed Conceptual Planning Framework used
  as a guideline for identifying regional Nutrition
  Capacity Gaps and needs at different levels and
  then selecting suitable strategies and activities
  to fill the gaps

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Conceptual Framework
Levels
Dr Azza Gohar
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Nutrition Capacity Development
Gaps/Needs
Strategies/Activities

• Awareness conviction
• Nutrition Policies
• Resources/ Funds
• Collaboration

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• Institutions (Structure-Facilities-
• Equipment)
• Human Resources
• System- Organization structure

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-Institutions (Structure-Facilities
Equipment) Human Resources- -System- Organization
structure
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- Awareness - Resources- -Food Availability
IV
Dr Azza Gohar
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Planning Guidelines
Dr. Azza Gohar
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Detailed Work PlanI- Establishing Structure and
Organization of Regional Capacity Building group
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II- Regional Nutrition Networking
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III-Regional Nutrition Research
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IV- Regional Nutrition Training

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V- Regional Nutrition Advocacy, Communication
Education (NACE)
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VI- Regional Nutrition Academic Education
Accreditation
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MENANA

• One of the most important outcomes of the
  workshop is Founding The Middle East and North
  African Nutrition Association (MENANA), which is
  a regional Association of Nutrition Societies in
  the Middle East and North Africa affiliated to
  IUNS.
• MENANA is a voluntary, non-profit organisation
  whose membership consists of national
  professional Nutrition Societies and Nutrition
  Centers in the countries of the Middle East and
  North Africa.

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Objectives

• The general objective of the Association is to
  promote the advancement of nutrition science ,
  the interest of professional nutritionists and
  Build Capacity in Nutrition in N. Africa ME in
  a way, which does not affect the autonomy of any
  of the member societies.

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2nd Regional Meeting of MENANA Research GroupNNI
/ Cairo, Egypt15/16 Dec 2004

• A meeting for the Research group was planned for
  organized hosted by NNI in Cairo /Dec 15-16
• The meeting involved 6 countries (Egypt, Tunisia,
  Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Libya) and UN
  organization such as UNICEF FAO and also 2
  representatives from IUNS
• Three working groups were formulated during the
  meeting to work on various tasks

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• Inaugural presentation at SCN 32nd Session Brasil
  ,14-18 March 2005 "Report on Nutrition Capacity
  Development in Middle East North African" by
  MENANA Coordinator (Dr Azza Gohar)

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• Participation in the Kick-off Meeting of The
  Capacity Development task force in Food
  Nutrition of Central and Eastern Europe at FAO,
  Budapest Office /in collaboration with (UNU-FNP)
  18 - 19 May 2005 / Budapest/Hungary by MENANA
  Coordinator (Dr Gohar)
• The objective was to share experiences of Middle
  East North Africa Region in similar activities
  to help launch the initiative in Central
  Eastern Europe (using the Conceptual Planning
  Framework of MENANA Group)

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• We had an advocacy Meeting in Egypt for flour
  fortification supported by MENANA members
• MENANA network involves today 16 countries
• Egypt-Sudan-Libya-Tunisia-Morocco-Oman-
  Jordon-Kuwait-Lebanon-Palestine-Yemen-Bahrain-KSA-
  Qatar- Iraq-Iran

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Planned Activities for MENANA 2006-2007

• MENANA Regional Scientific Meeting and General
  Assembly/ 2006
• Building capacity for Food Fortification
  especially (flour, oils) to prevent MND in
  countries still not fortifying (Egypt, Libya, )
  /2006
• Food fortification Advocacy meeting in Libya ..
  June/ 2006
• Capacity Building of Human Resources in data
  collection and statistical analysis mainly to
  predict look at risk factors /2006

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2007

• Establishing a Nutrition Leadership Program for
  the MENA region/2007
• Monitoring Food Nutritional Status in the
  Region/ 2007
• Sensitive indicators have been provisionally
  selected
• Training activities
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Creation of educational materials

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2007

• Developing Nutrition Curriculum for undergraduate
  medical paramedical students (doctors
  nurses) /2007
• Mapping of Regional Research Centers/2007
• Mapping of Regional Training Centers/2007
• Mapping of Regional Academic Centers/2007

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2007

• Finalizing Regional / Database (Nutrition status
  indicators Human ResourcesNutrition
  Institutions (Research/ Training/Academic
  Publications) for website/2007
• Launching Regional website
• Forming country level nutrition capacity
  building Task Forces (like Egypt)

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Following 33rd SCN Meeting

• In our coming scientific meeting we plan on
  emphasizing
• Taking advantage of the window of opportunity in
  the life cycle
• Food-based strategies in addition to Food
  Fortification
• Tackling the double burden of malnutrition
• Advocacy for nutrition at the highest levels
  using the opportunity of UN agencies and world
  bank support

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Thank You
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Thank You