A workshop was organized in Nirlphamari on October 3, 2019, to formulate an annual nutrition action plan involving officials from government and non-government agencies. CARE Bangladesh’s JANO project organized the program in partnership with district administration and Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC). Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome (JANO) is funded by the European Union and currently supporting the formulation of the District Nutrition Action Plan in Nilphamari. Dr. Md. Shah Nawaz, Director General of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) was present as chief guest.
The government of Bangladesh has already developed the Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition (2016-2025). NPAN2 was developed in light of the National Nutrition Policy 2015. For implementing the NPAN2, district and sub-district nutrition committee has been established while the formulation of an annual nutrition plan is one of the major responsibilities of district and sub-district nutrition committees.
NPAN2 involves 22 ministries and is costed over 10 years at US$ 1.6 billion while it aims to improve the nutritional status of mothers and children in the 1,000-days period, as well as that of adolescents, the elderly, disabled, pre-school, and primary school children. The workshop was chaired by Md. Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner and President of District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNNC), Nilphamari. Ranjit Kumar Barman, Civil Surgeon and Member Secretary of DNNC, Nilphamari and explained the importance to scale up nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions. Dr. Fazly Rabbby and Dr. Akter Imam, Assistant Directors of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) jointly presented the nutrition profile and existing nutrition situation of the Nilphamari. They also illustrated the process for the development of annual action plan.
The workshop ended with a vote of thanks from Md. Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari. He thanked organizers and participants while encouraging smooth implementation of the plan for nutritional improvements of the most vulnerable peoples, especially women and girls.
