More than 35,000 health professionals are trained to strengthen the prevention of Chronic Child Malnutrition – Ministry of Public Health

2023-08-21 17:08:10

Quito, August 21, 2023

In a joint effort to confront Child Chronic Malnutrition (DCI), more than 35,000 professionals from the Ministry of Health (MSP) participate in the training entitled “Implementation of actions from the community to reduce Child Chronic Malnutrition.” This initiative is the result of collaboration between the Technical Secretariat Ecuador Grows Without Child Malnutrition, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

This course, which is taught online and completely free of charge, has been designed with the purpose of raising awareness and strengthening knowledge about the crucial importance of the first 1,000 days of life in the development and growth of girls and boys. With a duration of 40 hours of study, distributed over four weeks, the content is broken down into three modules:

1. The first 1000 days: Window of opportunity for the development of girls and boys and to prevent DCI.

2. Child Chronic Malnutrition in Ecuador and the strategy to prevent it.

3. Key actions and messages to achieve healthy growth.

This training program welcomes various health actors, ranging from general practitioners, family doctors and paediatricians, to those responsible for health promotion in zones and districts, zone, district and community nutritionists, community guards, rural doctors, nurses and all the personnel that work in the central plant of the MSP.

The realization of this course responds to one of the priorities outlined by the National Government: to strengthen good governance to prevent and reduce chronic child malnutrition. With a special focus on pregnant mothers, girls and boys under 2 years of age, the aim is to ensure their nutritional and health well-being during their first 1,000 days of life.

The “Intersectoral Strategic Plan for the prevention and reduction of Child Chronic Malnutrition” (PEIPR-DCI) has defined various lines of action, including Co-responsibility and Transparency. This axis seeks to strengthen awareness and educommunication spaces, as exemplified by this training course.

Until December 20, 2023, the more than 35,000 participants are expected to complete this program, enriching their knowledge and skills to join in the fight against chronic malnutrition.