The Zambian Government and World Vision to Implement Multiple Micronutrient Supplement Project in Southern Province

Southern Province Health Director, Callistus Kaayunga, says government and its partners like World Vision should work together in harmony to maximise the benefits of their projects and prove that partnerships really do work and should be supported.

Dr. Kaayunga says his office will remain committed to supporting the works of World Vision as they want the best for the children, the mothers and the communities in the province.  

He was speaking in Choma when World Vision Zambia Moyo/Hamaundu Cluster Manager Joseph Mwansa paid a courtesy call to him at his office to introduce him to the newly-launched Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) Project.

Dr. Kaayunga said he hopes to see more collaboration between the government and all partners involved in the welfare of children.

“I also want to see a very good linkage with other partners who are doing the early childhood development because if you are going to look after the health of the mother when she conceives, it means you are also, in essence, playing a role in early childhood development up to the age of three so we want to see these two programmes linking together”, he said.

Dr. Kaayunga says he wishes that the micronutrients were not a commodity that is already made but something that was made out of locally grown foods to build the people's capacity and empower them so that they believe in the foods they eat.

“When we were growing up, we were never malnourished, but our parents never had this meat we have today. They used locally grown foods to ensure that we remained healthy and grew up to be what we are today. But anyway, when innovations come, I think we need to try them. Since there is a research component, we must start experimenting with our locally grown foods. Which ones can we capitalise on? It will help to empower the community, for they will grow those foods, sell them back to the community so that the benefit will be both ways,"  he said.

Dr. Kaayunga said the fact that the project looks into the 1000 most critical days of a child would help prevent stunting both in physical stature and in mental development and help Zambia have a generation of healthy and intelligent children in future.

And Mr. Mwansa says World Vision, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, came up with the MMS project after they identified a gap in nutritional support for pregnant women.

“Working with our partners in the US, we came up with a project with supporting women with supplements. We are going to cover the whole province, but it will be done in a phased approach. We will start from Kazungula, Livingstone, Zimba, Kalomo, Choma, Namwala, Pemba and Monze districts”, he said.

Mr. Mwansa says World Vision Zambia remains grateful to the government for its support and is an all-weather partner in development.

The Zambia Micronutrients Supplementation (MMS) Project is a 2-year project implemented in Lusaka, Northern, and Southern provinces. It aims to ensure an adequate supply of MMS, which has 15 essential vitamins, for pregnant women and improve birth outcomes. It is funded by KIRK, Power of Nutrition, Vitamin Angel, and World Vision US.

Micronutrient deficiencies can lifelong impact a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development. The earlier a woman begins taking MMS and consistently takes one tablet daily, the greater its impact on her and the baby’s health.