EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF NUTRITION INTO THE HEALTH SECTOR WHAT ROLE FOR THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY?

There is widespread consensus on the role the health sector plays for nutrition and agreement on the fact that maximizing the effectiveness means integrating nutrition-­‐related actions into the health systems, health strategy and health budget of every country. However, Implementation remains a challenge for many countries and further actions are required to identify optimal delivery models for malnutrition prevention, identification and treatment services, adapted to specific contexts. The Capacity of health systems should be at the core of the debate for the sustainability and long-­‐term success of the undernutrition response.

Two years after the adoption of the ‘Comprehensive Implementation Plan On Maternal nutrition, infant and young child nutrition’, the 67^th World Health Assembly will discuss the first report of progress (Point 13.2 Of the agenda and associated document A67/15). Despite The deployment of many global initiatives since 2012, The WHO Secretariat Report underlines the slow progress on the ground of the exclusive breastfeeding target and the stagnation of wasting.

The Report provides only occasional examples of initiatives regarding health systems strengthening initiatives and the integration of nutrition interventions in primary health care or universal access to services. While The Secretariat’s Report underlines this lack of progress, it does not call on the Member States, The Secretariat, Or International Partners to do more or better in these areas. The report also fails to make a strong link with other elements that are on the agenda of the Assembly, such as the Every Newborn Action Plan (item 14.2), The follow–‐up of the ‘Recife Political Declaration On Human Resources For Health’ (item 15.8) And the on–‐going negotiations on ’Health In the post-2015 agenda’ (item 14.1). These elements provide clear indication of the lack of alignment and integration of nutrition issues within the global health agenda, health systems and other health programmes.