Nutrition International at the Micronutrient Forum 2023
The Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference, which took place in the Hague, the Netherlands on October 16-20, 2023, brought together leading technical experts, policy makers, implementers and other stakeholders to share insights, evidence and experience relevant to micronutrients in all aspects of health promotion and disease prevention. Read on to find out how we took part in this important moment for global nutrition.
Ensuring micronutrient security in an era of complex global challenges
As countries around the world continue to navigate the impacts of conflict, climate change, and economic instability, this year’s Micronutrient Forum, under the theme ‘Nutrition for Resilience’ played a key role in showcasing the latest evidence to inform a balanced global nutrition agenda, focused on evidence-based actions that drive resilience and sustainability.
From cutting edge updates from the frontier of data for decision-making and digitization in fortification, to critical insights into how to make better maternal nutrition a country-led reality, discover Nutrition International’s presence at this year’s forum.
The road to resilience
Joel Spicer, President and CEO called for focused, connected impact as part of the closing panel for the Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference.
Our Events
Our solution-focused sponsored symposia
Unveiling the roadblocks: Advocating for the scalability of rice fortification
Location: Amazon Hall
Manpreet Chadha, Senior Technical Advisor, Food Fortification moderated this Nutrition International and World Food Programme sponsored symposium on overcoming obstacles or challenges that hinder the ability to scale-up rice fortification, while Dylan Walters, Project Director, Health Economics, explored the cost of rice fortification.
Data for decision making
Location: Onyx Hall
In this Nutrition International sponsored symposium, Mandana Arabi, Vice President of Global Technical Services and Chief Technical Officer highlighted the critical and urgent need for timely and reliable data to drive decision-making and nutrition advocacy, while Dylan Walters, Project Director of Health Economics, shared Nutrition International’s suite of novel data collection and analytic tools, including the Cost of Not Breastfeeding Tool, MMS Cost-Benefit Tool and the soon-to-be released Cost of Inaction Tool. Alison Greig, Senior Technical Director, Global Technical Services and Practice Area Director, Child Survival examined strategic approaches to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of vitamin A supplementation within health systems in “Building resilient health systems to withstand service disruption in vitamin A supplementation programs”.
Multiple micronutrient supplementation: Do we learn from history or repeat the same mistakes?
Location: Onyx Hall
In 2020, the World Health Organization supported the transition from long-standing iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation to multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), based on evidence that MMS is more effective and cost effective than IFA for pregnant women. This session explored how to deliver MMS at scale – a question that demands responsive implementation research on MMS to close the ‘know-do gap’.
Co-moderators Dr. Shabina Raza, Country Director for Pakistan and Jennifer Busch-Hallen, Practice Area Director, Maternal and Neonatal Health and Nutrition presented a video case study on replacing routine antenatal IFA with MMS and concluded the symposium with a reflection, questions and answer session. Other presentations included:
Charting a course for success: Navigating the winding roads of bringing MMS to scale with commitment care and strategy – Dr. Khawaja Masuood Ahmed, National Coordinator for the Nutrition and National Fortification Alliance in the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination
Rigorous implementation research on maternal nutrition and MMS: Driven by critical voices from Pakistan and Nigeria – Sarah Rowe, Technical Advisor, Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition
The application of outcome, process and cost-effectiveness evaluations in MMS implementation research – Dr. Chowdhury Jalal, Senior Technical Advisor, Evaluation and Strategic Research
Enabling country level introduction and scale up of MMS through increased commitment, investment and coordination – Zeina Sifri, Senior Program Officer, MNCH, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Avoiding the same mistakes: Learning from program experience and adopting e-tools for greater success – Jennifer Busch-Hallen, Practice Area Director, Maternal and Neonatal Health and Nutrition
Highlights of Nutrition International's presence at the forum
Session: Adopting human centered design principles to close the adherence gap for maternal micronutrient supplementation
Location: Yangtze Hall
Making the case for the cost-effectiveness of multiple micronutrient supplementation – Jennifer Busch-Hallen, Practice Area Director, Maternal and Neonatal Health and Nutrition
Session: Session: Getting it right: Measuring hemoglobin and defining anaemia
Location: King Alexander Willem Hall
Technical note on best practices for hemoglobin measurement in population-level anaemia surveys – Sara Wuehler, Senior Technical Advisor, Nutrition Information Systems
Session: Bridging implementation and science: Lessons learned in designing and delivering micronutrient programs for impact and scale
Location: Amazon Hall
Prompting supply of zinc and low-osmolarity oral rehydration salts through the private sector coupled with behaviour change communication on treatment of childhood diarrhoea in Kenya – Jacqueline Kung’u, Regional Advisor, Research and Evaluation, Africa
Strategies to improve adherence to interventions: Programmatic experience of evidence informed program design – Dr. Chowdhury Jalal, Senior Technical Advisor, Evaluation and Strategic Research
Session: Forging connections between humanitarian and development efforts to strengthen micronutrient and nutritional resilience
Location: King Willem Alexander Hall
The pathway of impact: Connecting nutrition programs with resilience measures – Mandana Arabi, Vice President of Global Technical Services and Chief Technical Officer
Session: Current estimates of the global prevalence of micronutrient deficiency and the need for more data
Location: King Willem Alexander Hall
Biomarkers as the gold standard for estimating the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency, excess and the biological basis for establishing biomarker cut offs – Homero Martinez, Senior Technical Advisor, Folate Task Team
Session: Highlighting integrated multisectoral nutrition programs for adolescents
Location: Onyx Hall
Global overview of adolescent nutrition and weekly iron folic acid supplementation programs – Marion Roche, Senior Technical Advisor, Adolescents’ and Women’s Health and Nutrition
Multisectoral nutrition programs for adolescents in Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia – Lucy Murage, Regional Technical Advisor, Global Technical Services
Session: Building Resilient Health Systems to Withstand Service Disruption in Vitamin A Supplementation Programs
Location: Amazon Hall
Moderated by Alison Greig, Senior Technical Director, Global Technical Services and Practice Area Director, Child Survival
Session: Advocating for Nutrition in the Face of Multiple Crises
Location: Yangtze Hall
Navigating Nutrition Advocacy: Strategies, Successes, and Accountability at Regional and Country Levels – Irshad Danish, Senior Advocacy Advisor, Asia
Session: Closing Ceremony: Road to resilience
Location: King Willem Alexander Hall
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