Adama - May 15, 2024 (NIPN) – A day-long review meeting of the National Food and Nutrition Strategy Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Steering Committee (MER-SC) was conducted here last Wednesday.
Opening the quarterly joint review meeting, Coordinator of the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN-Ethiopia), Dr. Aregash Samuel, said that all relevant bodies should join forces so that issues in the food and nutrition strategy signatory sectors can be dealt with in a desired manner. “We regularly get together to discuss issues and come up with possible solutions. Multi-sectoral offices present their respective activity reports. We all evaluate the progress of the sectors, discuss issues, exchange experiences, and support one another for better achievements. Moreover, we use this opportunity to draw lessons and exchange experiences from various research outcomes that will be presented here soon,” she said.
Dr. Aregash called upon all participants to contribute their share in addressing problems being witnessed in the health sector in general.
Participants used the MER-SC platform to discuss various research outcomes presented by senior researchers. Environmental Health Research Case Team Leader and Researcher, Daniel Abera, with the Food Science and Nutrition Research Directorate at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), presented a research outcome on “Water Quality Assessment in Healthcare Facilities in Addis Ababa and Adama”. He briefed the MER-SC Meeting participants about the findings of a comparative study done at a pilot level with the objectives of evaluating the bacteriological and physicochemical water quality in different wards (Medical, Gynecology, Pediatrics, Surgery, and Dialysis Units) of hospitals situated in Adama Town, and Addis Ababa City.
Daniel highlighted in his presentation the need for regular maintenance and chlorination in each facility, and the strong water quality monitoring system internally. He further called upon the concerned bodies to promote and support water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects being carried out at the national level.
A researcher from the Amhara Region Public Health Institute, Dessie (Town) Branch, Birtukan Shiferaw, presented the outcome of research done by her team on the Magnitude and Trends of Chronic Liver Disease (a retrospective Hospital-Based study in the Eastern Amhara Region, North-East Ethiopia). Birtukan drew the attention of participants to the prevalence of chronic liver disease in the stated areas. She recommended stating that further study should be conducted at the national level.
Nutrition Research Advisor with NIPN-Ethiopia, Dr. Anbissa Muleta, has also briefed the MER-SC Meeting participants about the Ethiopian Food and Nutrition Information Portal Assessment. He also touched on the major contribution NIPN-Ethiopia has made to the success of the Seqota Declaration, an initiative aimed at eradicating child malnutrition in Ethiopia through a phased approach.
Participants discussed the research outcomes and exchanged views on how nutrition and hygiene-relatedhealth hazards can be tackled. They said that concerted efforts should be made to create awareness among the general public and other relevant bodies on the prevention and causes of communicable diseases. They have also underscored that health and nutrition professionals should work in unison with determination to tackle nutrition-related problems.
Coordinator Aregash has taken the opportunity to brief the progress update of NIPN-Ethiopia. Speaking of the achievements, she said that NIPN-Ethiopia completed one Policy Question Formulation (PQF). Of the 18 policy questions gathered, national nutrition technical committee (NNTC) and other stakeholders, including academia, prioritized eight, according to Dr. Aregash.
She mentioned in her briefings that nine trainings were given on analytical methods, communication, and advocacy, including 12 data sources hosted by the NIPN data repository. These were all accomplished by the NIPN 2.0 project, Aregash said, adding that with close support from the International Food Policy and Research Institute, NIPN-Ethiopia has updated its dashboard, which will be launched soon.
Over 37 health and nutrition professionals, senior researchers from academia, research institutes, and multi-sectoral offices were in attendance at the MER-SC Meeting held at the Hillside Hotel in Adama Town. (NIPN).
