Public Affairs Manager

May 2012

Millennium Development Goals 4(Reduce Child Mortality) and 5(Improve Maternal Health)

The intent of the UN Millennium Development Goals is to focus leaders and organizations around the globe on improving quality of life for millions of the world’s poorest people.

Challenges we need to face head-on

How do we broaden the discussion so that we can truly have a long lasting impact in

reducing infant mortality in Africa?

Source: UN MDG Report 2010

Source: UNICEF Fact of the week report Aug 2010

According to World vision

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According to World vision Cont…

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Direct correlation between GDP and infant mortality

Source: Gap minder 2010

And between maternal & child mortality

Source: Gap minder 2010 9

And between fertility & child mortality

Source: Gap minder 201010

Africa is still the continent of the future

Challenges with infant feeding

• Fast dropping rates of breastfeeding in the first 6 months.• Sub-optimal infant feeding practices or no breastfeeding

and inadequate complimentary feeding. • Key information about proper feeding normally comes from

the family and not a healthcare professional.• Limited trust about the knowledge and skills of health care

providers in regards to matters nutrition.• Mixed messages around Infant feeding in the context of HIV

and AIDS and the dynamic nature of HIV and AIDS.• Poor quality control of homemade complementary foods.

Decisions affecting a child are made at different levels. Each decision should truly have the interest of the baby at heart.

How do we address these challenges?

Nestlé commitment to breastfeeding

•upported by latest science, we continue to believe in the superiority of breast milk.

•he WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by the introduction of complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for as long as possible.

•estlé supports this recommendation.

Capacity building

• Build the capacity of healthcare professionals in matters of Maternal and Child Nutrition to address malnutrition and inappropriate complementary feeding practices.

• Re-emphasis the central role Healthcare Professionals play in the interest of educating their patients/clients about the importance of correct nutrition prior to and during pregnancy as well as the first two years of infant life.

Nutrition Education• Address the role of nutrition and its

importance as foundation for healthy development in child health.

• Come up with interventions to arrest deficiencies in the diet of vitamin A, iodine, iron and zinc which are still widespread and are a common cause of excess morbidity and mortality.

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Innovations

• As the world’s leading Nutrition, Health, and Wellness company we are continually improving the nutritional quality and taste of our products, fortifying many of them to address the deficiencies of specific populations (MDGs 4 and 5).

Thank you