2017–2022
Alive & Thrive
Bangladesh
SHAFIQUL ALAM KIRON | ALIVE & THRIVE
• DirectoratesofHealthServicesandFamilyPlanning
• InstituteofPublicHealthNutrition/NationalNutritionServices
• MinistryofLocalGovernment,RuralDevelopment,andCo-operatives
• MinistryofWomenandChildrenAffairs
• BangladeshNationalNutritionCouncil
INTERVENTION AREAS & GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
Alive&Thrive(A&T)isaglobalnutritioninitiativetosavelives,preventillness,andensurehealthygrowthofmothersandchildren.From2009–2014,A&Tdemonstratedthatrapidimprovementsininfantandyoungchildfeeding(IYCF)arepossibleinsettingsasdiverseasBangladesh,Ethiopia,andVietNam.
In2014,A&TbeganworkinginBurkinaFaso,India,Nigeria,andthroughouttheSoutheastAsiaregion,expandingitsscopetoincludematernalandadolescentnutrition,andusingagricultureandsocialprotectionprogramsasdeliverymechanismsformaternal,infant,andyoungchildnutrition(MIYCN).InBangladeshfrom2014–2017,A&Tfocusedonintegratingmaternalnutritioninterventionsintoexistingplatformsformaternal,neonatal,andchildhealth.Byworkingwithexistingstructures,A&Treachedmorethan128,900pregnantwomenwithhome-basednutritioncounselingbytrainedcommunityhealthworkers.
Now,A&TisleveragingitsrobustnetworkandknowledgebasetostrengthensystemsandbuildcapacityinBangladeshandothercountriesacrossAsiaandAfrica.Byshiftingawayfromservicedeliverytofocusontechnicalassistance,A&TisputtingincreasedownershipwithgovernmentsforgreaterscalabilityandsustainabilityofMIYCNinterventions.Thisbriefhighlightsthesystemsstrengthening,policyadvocacy,
BANGLADESH COUNTRY BRIEF | 2017–2022
andknowledgegenerationactivitiesthatarepivotalinA&T’seffortstosupportBangladesh’sNationalNutritionServicesOperationalPlan(NNS-OP)inimprovingthenutritionalstatusofmothersandchildren.
Systems strengtheningA&Tmaximizesimpactbyfacilitatingandcatalyzingchangeacrosssystems.Toachievesuchchange,A&TprovidestechnicalassistancetobuildcapacityinMIYCNpolicyandprogramimplementation,strategicuseofdata,andsocialandbehaviorchangecommunication(SBCC).
Learning labs in two divisions. InsupportofBangladesh’sdisbursement-linkedindicatorsfornutrition,A&TiscollaboratingwithUNICEFandtheWorldBanktoassisttheHealthSectorSupportProjectinimprovingthequalityandcoverageofMIYCNinterventionsdeliveredthroughthegovernmenthealthsystem.InthetwodivisionsofSylhetandChattogram,A&Thascreatedlearninglabsinsixadministrativesub-units,knownasupazilas.TheUpazilaLearningLabisatestinggroundfordata-drivenperformancemanagementandsupportivesupervisionapproachesthatengagefrontlineworkers,supervisors,andhealthauthoritiesoverseeingthemanagementofservicedelivery.Lessonsfromcollaboratingwithgovernmentandpartnersintheupazilas
coverageandqualityofMIYCNservicedelivery.A&T’spolicyandprogramadvocacyprioritiesareto:
• IncreaseawarenessandcommitmenttoMIYCN
• EnsurecountryreadinessfortheWorldHealthAssembly’snutritiontargets
• PromotetheadoptionofMIYCNSBCCguidelines,supportivesupervisionprotocols,andperformancemanagementpracticesinhealthfacilities
• StrengthentheimplementationofthenationalBreast-milkSubstitutes(BMS)Act
• PromoteanimprovedmodelforMIYCNcounselinginurbanhealthprogramming
Knowledge and learning Understandinghowaninterventionperformsinanewcontextiscriticalforscalabilityandsustainability.Byconductingbothformativeandimplementationresearch,A&Tisgeneratingnewknowledgetoinformevidence-basedpolicies,programs,andimplementationstrategies.
Urban nutrition. A&TisconductingimplementationresearchonMIYCNcounselinginterventionsintheurbancontextofDhaka.Thestudyisdevelopingandtestingtheeffectiveness,feasibility,andscalabilityofintegratingMIYCNcounselingintourbanhealthcenters.
BMS Act. A&TisinitiatingformativeresearchonviolationsoftheBMSActincommercialsettings,media,andhealthfacilitiesinBangladesh.Thestudieswillquantifyanddescribethefrequencyandtypesofviolationsinordertohelpthegovernmentcreateaplanforbettermonitoringandpreventionofviolations.
Adolescent nutrition. A&Tsupportedtheintroductionofkeynutritioninterventionsintothegovernment’snewadolescenthealthstrategy,applyingformativeresearchonpregnantadolescentsfrom2014–2017.Theinterventionsarestrengtheningthecapacityofserviceproviderstodelivereffectivenutritioncounselingtoadolescentsandprovidingnutritionservicesatschools,healthfacilities,andworkplaces.A&Tiscontinuingtosupporteffortstomeettheneedsofadolescentsthroughnewformativeresearchthatlooksatthecurrentprogramandpolicyenvironmentforadolescenthealth.
willinformandpromotereplication,scale,andsustainabilitywithinthetwodivisionsandnationallyviatheNNS-OP.
Technical assistance for SBCC.A&TisatechnicalpartnerintheIYCFAllianceandparticipatesinthenationalnutritionandSBCCworkinggroupstoharmonizeapproachesacrossgovernmentandpartnerinitiatives.BuildingonprovenSBCCpracticesfromthefirstdecadeofimplementation,A&TisdisseminatingknowledgeandstrengtheningcapacitybysupportingthedevelopmentofSBCCstrategiesandcontent,andsharingrelevantMIYCNSBCCtools.A&TisalsoprovidingtechnicalassistancetodevelopdistinctMIYCNSBCCstrategiesfortheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgram/NationalUrbanPovertyReductionProgram(UNDP/NUPRP)andtheWorldFoodProgram/MaternalAllowanceandLactatingMotherAllowanceProgram(WFP/MALMA).
Policy and program advocacyGroundedinglobalMIYCNevidence,includingnewresearchinBangladesh,A&Tissupportingkeypartnerstodevelopnationalpolicies,guidelines,andstrategiesthatenhancethe
TECHNICAL PARTNERS
• WorldFoodProgramme• WorldBank• USAID• FoodandAgricultureOrganization• UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme• Caritas• NutritionInternational• icddr,b• GlobalAllianceforImprovedNutrition• Professionalassociations
MIYCN SBCC TOOLS
• Jobaids• Flipbooksfor
frontlineworkers• Videos• TVspots• Posters• Trainingmaterials
The Alive & Thrive initiative, managed by FHI 360, is currently funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, the Tanoto Foundation, and UNICEF.
aliveandthrive.org
