PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Early childhood nutrition Preventing malnutrition in infants and young children. Children need the right foods at the right time to grow and develop to their full potential.
The most critical time for good nutrition is during the 1,000-day period from pregnancy until a child’s second birthday. In the first two years of life, breastfeeding saves lives, shields children from disease,
brain development and guarantees children a safe and nutritious food source. infants begin breastfeeding within one hour of birth,
be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and continue breastfeeding until 2 years of age or beyond. At the age of 6 months, children need to begin eating their first foods.
Young children should be fed frequently and in adequate quantities throughout the day,
and their meals must be nutrient-dense and comprised of a variety of food groups.
Caregivers should prepare and feed meals with clean hands and dishes, and interact with their child to respond to his or her hunger signals Improve availability of and access to health care services for IDPs and host communities, with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as women and children, through mobile clinics or strengthening of existing services, as well as through the promotion of health-seeking behavior. o Improve quality of health care and treatment, including HIV/AIDS, with special focus on health infrastructure (physical equipment and supplies, including drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment, post exposure prophylaxis [PEP] kits, etc.) and human resource capacity. o Improve health information management system to ensure availability of reliable data on the health status of the population, including on HIV/AIDS. o Ensure availability of health education material on prevention of targeted diseases (malaria, TB, AWD, HIV/AIDS).

NUTRITION PROGRAM

The overall objectives are to lower the incidence of malnutrition, avert excess mortality due to malnutrition and promote better nutritional status among populations in the affected areas. Adequate nutrition is necessary for normal brain development in infants and growing toddlers.
This is crucial because it is required for the formation of the brain, hence laying the foundation for the development of cognitive and socio-emotional skills throughout childhood and life.