On morning 09 November 2009, Save the children, an international non-government organization, via the Auspices of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co-ordinates with Quang Ngai Department of Health and the provincial relevant agencies held the first seminar to introduce the new Project “Alive and Thrive” (A&T).
As scheduled, A&T project shall be implemented in 15 provinces, cities throughout the country in the 5-year-long-term (2009-2013) with the total fund US$ 3 million. In Quang Ngai, A&T shall hold its activities in some typical hospitals, district health centers and commune health stations (chosen by Health Department) with fund of US$ 200,000.
A&T general target aims to reduce undernutrition and death caused by sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices. Its specific goals is the health and regimen advisory for mothers; support for optimal feeding practices such as initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and the addition of appropriate complementary foods at six months with continued breastfeeding until age two.
According to the newly report by Department of Health, the malnourished and undersized rate of children under 5 years old of Quang Ngai province accounts for 31.7%. It is the high rate needing to be reduced in the upcoming time according to the national strategy on malnutrition reduction in child.
Once the project A&T goes into operation, it shall contribute to improve infant and young child nutrition and create program models that can be replicated to all locals through the province.
Reportedly, from 1998-2001, Save the children had implemented the projects on nutrition, integrated education and health for children with disabilities in some districts of Quang Ngai province with fund of some 3 billion VND.
Dai Kiet
