NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT (HAITI)

PROJECT PURPOSE IS TO ENLARGE THE COVERAGE OF NUTRITION REHABILITATION CENTERS (CERN"S) RUN BY THE BUREAU OF NUTRITION (BON) AND TO REINFORCE NUTRITIONAL SERVICE IN THE HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM THROUGH TRAINING OF BON PERSONNEL. EVALUATION IS BASED ON AN IN-HOUSE TECHNICAL REVIEW OF 3 RECENT EVALUATIONS OF BON AND CONSISTS PRINCIPALLY OF USAID RECOMMENDATIONS. BECAUSE OF THE INEFFICIENCY OF CERN"S AND THEIR FAILURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVERAGE, CERN NORMS, INCLUDING NORMS FOR LOCATION AND MOBILITY OF CENTERS, FREQUENCY OF SUPERVISION, EDUCATION OF MOTHERS, USE OF ROAD-TO-HEALTH CARDS AS MOTIVATORS, AND USE OF KWASH-MILK, WILL BE REVISED AND IMPROVED. NEW NORMS WILL BE INCLUDED IN AN AMENDED PRO-AG TO BE SIGNED 6/79. USAID WILL ALSO REQUEST BON TO PREPARE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1979/80. THIS PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE A DIETARY STUDY (TO BE CARRIED OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE); REFRESHER TRAINING FOR BON STAFF; RESEARCH TO PROVIDE WEIGHT-TO-HEIGHT DATA FOR MEASURING CHILD RECUPERATION. A PROJECT PAPER (PP) AMENDMENT WILL ALSO BE PREPARED. IT WILL INCLUDE FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR EXTENSIONISTS; GRAIN STORAGE FACILITIES; PROMOTION OF RABBIT CULTURE; AND A FOOD PRODUCTION MANUAL, VISUAL AIDS, AND A TRAINING COURSE CURRICULUM. AMENDED PP AND PRO-AG WILL STRESS DECENTRALIZATION OF BON AND WILL DISCUSS ITS POSSIBLE INTEGRATION INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POPULATION. ALTERNATIVES TO CERN"S SUCH AS THE FOYER APPROACH, AS WELL AS ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED INTEGRATED NUTRITION PROGRAM (PROJECTS 091 AND 099) WERE DISCUSSED AT A NATIONAL NUTRITION SEMINAR HELD TO DISSEMINATE RESULTS OF A NATIONAL NUTRITION SURVEY AND TO REVIEW RECENT EVALUATIONS. ASSESSMENT OF RENOVATION, TRAINING, AND PRODUCTION OF AKAMIL TARGETS, TOGETHER WITH A FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE PROJECT, WILL BE UNDERTAKEN AT THE END OF CY 79. A BASELINE STUDY OF ALL CERN"S WILL BE UNDERTAKEN DURING FINAL PROJECT EVALUATION OR IN CONNECTION WITH PROJECT 099. STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE REPORTED IN THE BI-MONTHLY STATUS REPORT.