Report

Training of health workers and traditional leaders on maternal and child nutrition and optimal practices for inclusion of animal-source foods in healthy diets in Uganda

author(s) Ouma, Emily A. - Ahumuza, Ronnie - Ahmed, Hardi - Omosa, Esther - Achandi, Esther - Ngalombi, Sarah - Ahumuza, Laura - Teufel, Nils - Molina, Teresa
from CGIAR - Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers
permalink open
themes
regions
  • Africa
  • World
  • Eastern Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Northern Europe
  • Europe
citation

Ouma, E., Ahumuza, R., Ahmed, H., Omosa, E., Achandi, E., Ngalombi, S., Ahumuza, L., Teufel, N. and Molina, T. 2024. Training of health workers and traditional leaders on maternal and child nutrition and optimal practices for inclusion of animal-source foods in healthy diets in Uganda. Kampala, Uganda: ILRI.

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Abstract

An exploratory study conducted by the CGIAR’s Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Nutrition and Gender inclusion (SAPLING) work package 2 in March–April 2023 in Masaka, Mukono and Wakiso districts in Uganda showed nutrition knowledge gaps for both men and women livestock farmers. Results also revealed socio-cultural norms based on beliefs that hinder consumption of some animal-source foods (ASFs) for some members of the society, particularly children and women. For instance, some cultures hinder consumption of ASFs such as eggs, pork and certain types of fish for pregnant women. SAPLING in collaboration with stakeholders co-designed a social behaviour change communication (SBCC) intervention that goes beyond the provision of nutrition education to improve nutrition knowledge but also focuses on addressing norms to demystify consumption of ASFs by children and women of childbearing age. The intervention was implemented by health workers, specifically the village health teams (VHTs) through a cluster-randomized controlled trial design with three study arms in Mukono and Masaka districts as follows:

1. T0 - One third of the clusters (villages) were randomly assigned to receive nutrition information provided only to women using adapted Ministry of Health's Maternal Infant and Young Children Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) counselling cards.
2. T0+T1: - One third of the clusters were randomly assigned to receive nutrition information provided to both men and women using MIYCAN counselling cards.
3. T0+T1+T2: The remaining one third of the clusters were randomly assigned to receive nutrition information provided to both men and women using MIYCAN cards and a gender transformative intervention targeting men and women to address social norms associated with consumption of livestock derived foods particularly for women and children.

Health workers and traditional leaders selected to implement the SBCC interventions were trained to deliver the interventions for the specific study arms. They were trained in maternal and child nutrition and optimal practices for inclusion of animal-source foods in healthy diets, as well as social norms messaging to demystify consumption of ASFs by women and children.

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