The Ministry of Health on Monday convened a Nutrition Inter-agency Coordinating Committee (NICC) meeting to address the country's nutrition status.
The meeting was led by Joseph Lenai who is the acting Director of Preventive and Promotive Health Services, at the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards.
The NICC, comprising government ministries, state agencies like KIPPRA, KNBS, KEMRI, and development partners, gathered to review the costed annual work plan for the Nutrition program.
The discussions revolved around key nutrition-related topics, including Kenya Demographic and Health Survey findings, the Long Rains assessment, El Nino preparedness, and the Kenya Nutrition Action Plan (KNAP) 2018-2022.
Lenai stressed the need to enhance the NICC's effectiveness in implementing the Kenya Nutrition Action Plan (KNAP) 2023-2027, with an emphasis on budgetary support for its development and Nutrition response.
He highlighted the government's commitment to eradicating malnutrition, aligning with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG2.
Lenai also acknowledged the role of nutrition in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and commended equipping Community Health Promoters (CHPs) with essential tools.
Additionally, he mentioned the establishment of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to enhance Primary Health Care (PHC) services.
"The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) showed reduced stunting rates but a slight increase in wasting, possibly due to drought conditions," he said.
Lenai thanked partners for their support during the drought emergency, maintaining standards within the Sphere framework.
NICC which was established in mid-2000s enhances nutrition governance, coordinates government ministries, agencies, and development partners, and mobilizes resources to combat malnutrition while advocating for awareness among policymakers and the public.
