Health and Nutrition Program (NNP-HNPSP)

VOSD has been implementing health and nutrition program in the operational areas to improve public health and nutrition status from 1987. It is a community-based program. So, total community people were covered and benefited with the program, which is app. 1, 27, 35,000 people. With the help of this program, special services have been provided to the targeted people. The main activities are: health & nutrition education through media circulation, homestead gardening, livestock and fisheries development, documentary film shows through VIDEO, folk songs & popular theatres etc.
National Nutrition Program (NNP) had been implemented and continuing as nutrition sub sector in health. Nutrition and population sector program (HNPSP) under the ministry of health and family welfare since July 2004. The overall objective of NNP is to activate a sustainable improvement on birth weights & nutritional status of vulnerable women & children through adopting new behavior, proper utilization of healthcare system by individuals and household involving local communities. The program focuses on Area Based community Nutrition (ABCN) interventions, which are being implemented by NGOs in 105 upazilas of 34 Districts of 6 divisions. 10 NGOs such as VOSD, BRAC, TMSS, SHEED, SHARD, VARD, BEES, HEED, UJMS and SGS were working with NNP till August and continuing. Core services include (a) BCC, (b) Training, (c) Birth Weight Recording and registration, (d) Growth monitoring and Promotion (GMP) activities, (e) Food supplementation to the malnourished children of under 2 years of age of ultra poor family and severely malnourished (BMI <17) pregnant women, (f) Micronutrient (vita & Iron foliate), (g) Adolescents (Both boys and girls) and newlywed women, husbands, mothers-in-law, forums. The target groups of the program are (i) Children under 2 years of age, (ii) Pregnant women, (iii) Lactating mothers, (iv) Newlywed women, & (v) Adolescents boys and girls. Mother and father in laws and husbands of newly wed and pregnant women are also included in the forums. To ensure household Food Security, inter-sectoral approach involving Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fishery and Livestock and Ministry of Women and Children Affairs have been involved in NNP implementation. The services of the program are being provided from a Community Nutrition Centre (CNC). Each CNC Covers 1000 to 1250 population on an average. VOSD has 4641 CNC’s, 455 CNO’s and 125 field supervisors. They Provide services at the community level under the guidance of Upazilla Managers. VOSD has 37 Upazilas and 37 Upazila Managers. These services are supervised by VOSD and NNP officials. Concern District, Upazila, Union and CNC have nutrition management committees. Members of these committees are Govt. Officers, NGO’s, Upazila Managers, Leaders, Teachers, Community people and Nutrition works.

The present status of activities as per indicators of ABCN as of March, 2012 of 37 Upazila are collecting as follows.

Food security interventions :

For beneficiaries’ food security, VOSD has been implemented following activities of HFSNG & PFN, cultivation of seasonal vegetables, fruit tries, gardening, livestock rearing, fisheries activities, agriculture activities etc. and also foodstuff supports to malnourished children. It can be mentioned that during each season, it had been supplying seeds to the 50% gardeners and this shall be continued to sustained sub-project activities in the community.