Effective Community-Based Nutrition Programming in Malawi : Evidence from the 1996-2005 Micronutrient and Health Programme in Reducing Anaemia and Stunting

Despite a wealth of knowledge on "what works" in public health nutrition programming, effective implementation of a battery of integrated interventions in communities that are faced with multiple nutrition burdens has remained a momentous challenge. A World Vision-funded Micronutrient and Health (MICAH) programme was implemented in Malawi between 1996 and 2005, with three main objectives: (1) to increase intake and bioavailability of vitamin A, iron and iodine; (2) to decrease diseases that affect micronutrient nutrition; and, (3) to build capacity for delivery systems. Using an integrated community-based approach, the MICAH programme contributed to a significant reduction in the prevalence of anaemia and stunting, which are two leading nutrition problems of public health concern in low-resource settings. This book chronicles the MICAH programme and its contribution to public health nutrition in Malawi, with applications in countries that have similar socioeconomic conditions.