SEADAG REPORTS AD HOC SEMINAR ON NUTRITION POLICY IN ASIA

SEMINAR WAS SPONSORED BY THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY GROUP AND INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM PHILIPPINES, INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND THE US. SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS EVALUATED THE NUTRITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES, INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND PAKISTAN. IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE TIMBANG CHILD-WEIGHING PROGRAM (COVERING 50% OF ALL VILLAGES) HAS: (1) IDENTIFIED MALNDURISHED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, (2) HELPED FORM COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND (3) CREATED AN AWARENESS OF MALNUTRITION PROBLEMS AT LOCAL LEVELS BY SENSITIZING DECISION MAKERS AND EDUCATING THE POPULATION. THE GOP HAS ALSO SUCCEEDED IN REDUCING COCONUT OIL PRICES BY REPLACING TIN CANS WITH BOTTLES OR SELLING OIL IN BULK TO CONSUMERS WITH THEIR OWN CONTAINERS. IN INDONESIA, THE GOI IS MAKING PROGRESS IN SALT IODIZATION AND APPLIED NUTRITION. MAJOR CONCERN IS FOOD ADULTERATION, ESPECIALLY OF MILK WHICH IS BEING SOLD IN PLASTIC BAGS. IN THAILAND, PROBLEMS HAVE RESULTED FROM UNQUALIFIED OFFICIALS IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, LACK OF CONSENSUS AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTED A NUTRITION PROGRAM, AND LIMITED ACTIVITY DURING THE 1960'S. ALSO, DUE TO THE LACK OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, NUTRITION CENTERS WERE LOCATED IN ECONOMICALLY AVERAGE VILLAGES RATHER THAN IN POORER ONES. THAILAND'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS INCLUDE MEAT SUBSTITUTES FABRICATED FROM MUNG BEAN PROTEIN (A BY-PRODUCT OF MUNG BEAN NOODLE PRODUCTION), SALT IODIZATION, AND DISSEMINATION OF HEALTH INFORMATION BY VILLAGE VOLUNTEERS. PAKISTAN HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CONVINCE ALL BUT ITS POOREST POPULATION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS FREE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR PROGRAM SINCE LOW GRADE IMPORTED WHEAT IS USED AND PROCESSED IN A METHOD UNATTRACTIVE TO LOCAL POPULATIONS. SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS CONCLUDE THAT SUCCESSFUL NUTRITION PROGRAMS REQUIRE HIGH LEVELS OF POLICY COORDINATION, WORKERS WITH CAREER COMMITMENT TO NUTRITION, ADEQUATE RESOURCES FURNISHED TO NUTRITION WORKERS, AND AN ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.