The WHO provides Ethiopia’s health planning cycles, health programmatic/project timelines and information on key partners. The paper builds on the progress achieved by Ethiopia and presents ongoing challenges faced and the approaches the Government is taking to address the same including important files and documents for the country.

This guideline by the World Health Organization provides updated, clear, evidence-based normative information on the use of haemoglobin concentrations to access anaemia, and best approaches in its measurement in individuals and populations

This modelling tool (the MMS cost-benefit tool) developed by Nutrition International provides users with a clear understanding of the cost value of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) against iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) during pregnancy.

Multiple factors contribute to inadequate micronutrient consumption amongst children aged 6-23 months globally and particularly in the sub-Saharan Africa. Using secondary data from 20 sub-Saharan African countries, this study attempts to fill the gap on the significant role adequate micronutrients play on children’s optimal health, growth and development

Hidden hunger arising from iron, folate and vitamin B12 is highly prevalent in India with increased negative impact on pregnancy and foetal neurodevelopment. Development of a comprehensive strategy should be a national priority to ensure all women and adolescent girls receive these nutrients in sufficient amounts

This special issue brings together studies showing how crucial maternal nutrition including micronutrient adequacy, before and during pregnancy are for later life with guidance on proper diets to appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. Using various methodologies, it captures the diversity and complexities of research focused on the impact of nutrition on maternal, fetal health and perinatal outcomes

Vitamin A deficiency and soil-transmitted helminth infection are serious public health problems in Kenya. The coverage of vitamin A supplementation and deworming medication (VASD) provided through mass campaigns is generally high, yet with a cost that is not sustainable, while coverage offered through routine health services is low. Alternative strategies are needed that achieve the recommended coverage of >80% of children twice annually and can be managed by health systems with limited resources. This study was undertaken from September to December 2021 to compare the feasibility and coverage of VASD locally delivered by community health volunteers (CHV) (“intervention arm”) to that achieved by the bi-annual Malezi Bora campaign event (“control arm”). This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in sub-counties of Siaya County using both qualitative and quantitative methods. VASD were offered through the CHS in Alego Usonga and through Malezi Bora in Bondo Sub-County. With sufficient training and oversight, CHV can achieve superior coverage to campaigns.

Micronutrient (MN) deficiencies are a major public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia, leading to childhood morbidity and mortality. Effective implementation of programs aimed at reducing MN deficiencies requires an understanding of the important drivers of suboptimal MN intake. This study aimed to identify important predictors of MN deficiency among children ages 6-23 months in Ethiopia using machine learning algorithms. This study employed data from the 2019 Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey (2019 EMDHS) and included a sample of 1,455 children aged 6-23 months for analysis. Machine Learning (ML) methods including, Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Neural Network (NN) were used to prioritize risk factors for MN deficiency prediction. Performance metrics including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) curves were used to evaluate model prediction performance. The RF algorithm outperformed other ML algorithms in predicting child MN deficiency in Ethiopia. Based on the findings of this study, improving women’s education, increasing exposure to mass media, introducing MN-rich foods in early childhood, enhancing access to health services, and targeted intervention in the eastern region are strongly recommended to significantly reduce child MN deficiency.

USAID Advancing Nutrition provides a summary of a study carried out in the Kyrgyz Republic between 2018-2023, with the aim to improve the nutritional status of populations that are most vulnerable to malnutrition i.e., women of reproductive age and children under five years of age. The report highlights achievements made including and not limited to training of community activists and health workers, establishment and strengthening of multi-sectoral platforms, supervision guidelines and strengthening of health reporting systems in order to effect sustainable solutions to improving the nutritional status of the population.

Attention is drawn to the relatively slow progress in intervention efforts against micronutrient deficiencies in India despite the countries existing robust policies and leadership support. This brief report highlights the strategy by Alive & Thrive to engage professional medical associations while leveraging their networks to develop working policies and procedures, enhance advocacy and build enough capacity to influence policy implementation by health providers across the country.