Policies and strategies to improve nutritional status[7]
Ministry of Health and Population strategies
Health strategies
In order to improve the health status of the Egyptian population, MOHP has developed several strategies, including the following: * Preventive care system: the specific areas of intervention are immunization, quarantine measures, safe water supply, food hygiene, public cleanliness, environmental hygiene and infestation control. * Primary health care: through which medical services are provided to the general population and to vulnerable groups (pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five years of age). * Curative care services: where sick people find medical treatment.
Nutrition strategies
Before 1992, ad hoc programmes addressed the problem of malnutrition. Following the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN), held in Rome in December 1992 and sponsored by FAO and WHO, nutrition programmes in Egypt have been enhanced.
Egypt presented a country paper at the conference and took part in post-ICN condensed nutrition activities. A ministerial decree of 1994 formulated a high-level inter-ministerial committee representing the ministries of agriculture, health, planning, information, supply, education and academia. The outcome was the development of the Egyptian National Strategy for Nutrition, which has nine main policy areas. Each policy area includes a problem statement, a goal, measurable objectives, actions, authorities responsible for undertaking the different activities, resources, legislation (if required), and monitoring and evaluation indicators.
The main policy areas are: * incorporating nutrition objectives, considerations and components into development policies and programmes; * improving household food security; * protecting consumers through improved food quality and safety; * preventing and managing