Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel, who is in Paris, France to participate in a global conference on nutrition, has proposed collaboration with an American charity to reduce malnutrition among pregnant women and newborns in Nepal.
Minister Paudel made the request during a meeting with William Moore, CEO and Research Director of the Eleanor Crook Foundation, an American aid organization, at the Nepali Embassy in Paris.
“We are trying to identify resources to ensure that maternal and child health care does not weaken due to financial constraints,” Minister Poudel said. “This dialogue is a part of that. We are excited about the discussions.”
The organization has also responded positively to Minister Poudel’s request to collaborate with Nepali industry in the production of nutrient-rich ingredients.
In Nepal, pregnant women are currently given iron pills. However, experts say that although they contain iron and folic acid, they are deficient in 15 other nutrients.
The government is preparing to provide a mixture of all 15 nutrients that are deficient in order to reduce malnutrition in both pregnant women and newborns, instead of the iron pills currently being administered.
The American charity has responded positively to Minister Poudel’s request for cooperation in this regard. It has said that an agreement can be reached in the near future to study the additional budget needs of the government.