USAID/KENYA NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROGRAM PLUS PROGRESS REPORT FOR Q3 FY 2016

The program purpose is to increase access and demand for nutrition services, and improve food and nutrition security as well as commodity management support. The program funding is from three different streams: PEPFAR for commodity management support, Feed the Future (FtF) for improving food and nutrition security, and MNCH/Nutrition for implementing MNCH interventions that ensure greater effect for women and children under two years with regard to nutrition. During the period of April 1 through June 30, 2016, the program made progress towards achieving its objectives. A concept note has been developed to conduct Kenya PROFILES on nutrition. PROFILES uses models and country-specific data to project the economic and health consequences of not adequately addressing a country's nutrition problems. In the counties of Kitui, Samburu, Marsabit, and Busia, 56 health facilities were assessed using the National HiNi Gap assessment tool. This tool is used to assess health facilities' capacity to manage acute malnutrition. Based on the total scores achieved during assessment, 4 health facilities were found to have limited capacity, 28 health facilities with moderate capacity, 23 health facilities with good capacity, and 1 health facility with excellent capacity to manage acute malnutrition. As part of the support towards improving vitamin A supplementation coverage, the program participated in the Malezi Bora activities held in May 2016. The program supported Vitamin A supplementation for a total of 57,638 children. An achievement of 87.8% against the FY16 set target of 72,387 was recorded. It is expected that this target will be surpassed by the end of the FY16. The program also supported a one-day consultative meeting organized by Nutrition and Dietetics Unit and Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) Academia and Research Network (ARN) for 42 participants drawn from universities, research institutions, and other stakeholders from the donor community. During the meeting, national nutrition research priorities were determined. The program is working towards determining key operational research priorities that can be supported by the program. To strengthen the technical capacity of the USG-funded programs to support quality implementation of NACS approach beyond HIV services, horizontal scale-up across service points, integration of NACS within routine care and treatment, provide better commodity management, and nutrition reporting, the program is working with various stakeholders. The program is also working towards improving access and demand for quality nutrition interventions at community and facility levels. In the counties of Busia, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Samburu, and Marsabit, Feed the Future (FtF) activities are implemented to improve food and nutrition security. MNCH activities are implemented in the counties of Busia, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, and Marsabit. Commodity management support is provided across all 47 counties in Kenya. The program's accomplishments, successes, and challenges faced during the period of April 1 through June 30, 2016, are summarized below. The program has made significant progress in improving access and demand for quality nutrition interventions at community and facility levels. The program has also made progress in improving vitamin A supplementation coverage and strengthening the technical capacity of the USG-funded programs to support quality implementation of NACS approach beyond HIV services. However, the program still faces challenges in improving food and nutrition security and commodity management support.