National Program "Essential Nutrition Actions"

Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health is implementing a national program with the following team:

Okala Georges, Ndongmo N. Augustin, Toumamiko Barthelémy, Amadou Boukari, Nankap Martin

"ESSENTIAL NUTRITION ACTIONS" (ENA) is an operational oriented program integrating mother and child nutritional status and national environment, sumarized in the following framework.

Its specificities is:

An Integrated Program for:

Infant and young child nutrition

Mother nutrition

Micronutrient completion.

As such the following issues should be adressed:

Promotion of optimal breasfeeding

• Initiate breastfeeding within 30 minutes after birth
• Breastfeed exclusively up to 6 months
• Breastfeeding on demand, day and night, at least 10 times
• Practicing latch and position correct
• Empty one breast before switching to anotherPromotion of complementary feeding

Promotion of adequate complementary feedind

• Start complementary feeding at 6 months
• Breastfeeding until 24 months and beyond
• Increase the number of meals and variety of food with age
• Increase the density and volume with age
• Practice active feeding
• Practice good hygiene (water, food, clean hands)
• Use fortified complementary foods 

Provide nutrition care of sick and malnourish children

0 to 6 months:

• Increase frequency of breastfeeding during and after illness
• Giving zinc and vitamin A, according to the national protocol (IMCI)
• Rehydrate orally, as needed

Over 6 months:

• Increase frequency of breastfeeding during and after illness and
• Increasing the supply during and after illness
• Give an extra meal each day for 2 weeks
• Giving zinc and vitamin A, according to the national protocol (IMCI)
• Rehydrate orally, as needed
• Caring for severely malnourished children according to national protocolStart complementary feeding at 6 months

Promotion of mothers nutrition

During pregnancy and lactation:

• Increasing dietary intake: (1 meal per day during pregnancy, 2 during breastfeeding)
• Supplementing iron-folic acid (6 months)
• Preventing and treating malaria
• Deworming during pregnancy
• Take Vitamin A post within 8 weeks after childbirth 

Fight aigainst vitamine A deficiencies

• Promoting breastfeeding as a source of Vitamin A
• Promote the consumption of rich foods and foods rich in Vit A (industrial or household)
• Supplementing women after childbirth
• Supplementing the children twice a yearFight aigainst anemia

Fight aigainst anemia

• Supplementing iron-folic acid for women
• Deworming during pregnancy and children 2 times per year
• Preventing and treating malaria
• Promote the consumption of rich foods and foods fortified with iron (industrial or household)
• Delaying the umbilical cord ligation (after 2 minutes)Fight aigainst iodine deficiency disorders

 Fight aigainst iodine deficiency disorders

• Promote consumption of iodized salt by all families