PLAN FOR ACCELERATING ANAEMIA REDUCTION THROUGH IRON AND FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION OF PREGNANT AND LACTATING WOMEN IN KENYA

According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2008-09, the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women is approximately 47%, while among lactating women it is around 53%. This is a major contributor to the high maternal and child mortality rates in the country. Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation is a critical intervention to address anaemia among pregnant women. However, the uptake of IFA supplements is low in Kenya, with only about 30% of pregnant women receiving the recommended doses. Various factors contribute to this low uptake, including lack of awareness, inadequate access to healthcare services, and limited availability of IFA supplements. The National IFA Supplementation Plan of Action 2012-2017 aims to strengthen the IFA programme implementation to improve the coverage and utilization of iron and folic acid supplements among pregnant women. The plan is divided into eight broad areas, including situation analysis, proposed plan to address barriers of IFA supplementation, and implementation framework. The plan identifies four main strategies to address iron and folic acid deficiencies among pregnant women: dietary diversification and modification, food fortification and bio-fortification, iron and folic acid supplementation, and public health measures including malaria control and helminthes control. The plan also acknowledges the beneficial role of parasite control, food fortification, and dietary diversification and malaria control programs in controlling iron deficiency anemia. The costed plan of action includes a 5-year plan with five key focus areas and their expected outcomes. The focus areas include increasing access to IFA supplements, improving the quality of IFA supplements, enhancing the capacity of healthcare providers, promoting community-based interventions, and strengthening monitoring and evaluation. Implementing the costed plan of action will require increased political will, donor investment, stakeholder involvement, public investment, and a heightened awareness of the critical importance of IFA supplementation among health workers, pregnant women, and community-based care providers. Involvement of the national and county government, families, communities, community-based organizations (CBOs), in collaboration with international organizations and other concerned parties will ultimately ensure that necessary action is taken. The plan also emphasizes the need for coordination and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the plan. The Division of Nutrition, through the National Supplementation Sub-Committee, the National Micronutrient Deficiency Control Council, and the Nutrition Interagency Coordinating Committee, will coordinate the implementation of the plan. Overall, the National IFA Supplementation Plan of Action 2012-2017 aims to reduce the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in Kenya through the implementation of a comprehensive plan that addresses the barriers to IFA supplementation and strengthens the IFA programme implementation.