11.3.3 Integrating the seven ENAs into other sectors
Nutrition improvement for the people you are responsible for cannot be addressed by any one sector alone; it needs to be integrated with frontline workers in other sectors. You will therefore need to communicate with the different frontline workers in sectors such as education and agriculture. Table 11.4 summarises the ENAs that could be integrated to sectors outside health.
| Other non-health contacts | Key essential nutrition action aspects the BCC should focus on |
|---|---|
| School | School lunch programme De-worming Adolescent nutrition Iron and folic acid supplementation Iodised salt consumption by the family Use of insecticide-treated bed nets Tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination |
| Community nutrition | De-worming Adolescent nutrition Maternal nutrition Community growth monitoring and promotion Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation |
| Emergency | General ration distribution Outpatient therapeutic programme (OTP) Therapeutic feeding programme (TFP) Targeted supplementary feeding and blanket supplementary feeding programmes Caring practices (optimal breastfeeding and optimal complementary feeding, preventive and promotive health seeking) Exemption of pregnant women and lactating mothers with a child under six months old from the public work requirement in the food-for-work programme (unconditional transfer) |
| Agriculture | Food diversification Food security |
| Water and sanitation | Building water points saves maternal workload and energy expenditure and gives more time for caring practices |
| Informal community gatherings (market days, ‘Debo’, ‘Edir’, ‘Equb’, Coffee Ceremony ‘Mahiber’, ‘senbete’) | Using these gatherings to do ENA BCC Consumption of at least one additional meal per day Iron and folic acid supplementation Iodised salt consumption by the family Optimal infant feeding Infant feeding options if the mother is HIV-positive Use of impregnated bed nets De-worming in the third trimester TT vaccination Regular antenatal visits |
How might you be able to work with other sectors in your own community or work situation to improve the nutritional status of people living in your community?
Working with agricultural development workers or school teachers within your community will be an important part of your role. Working collaboratively will help to ensure the essential nutrition actions are shared as widely as possible and help to build understanding of their importance.
11.3.2 Integrating the seven ENAs into the six health contacts