Improving Pediatric Nutrition in Vietnam
A Partnership between the Abbott Fund and AmeriCares
Children in Vietnam are afflicted with some of the most severe forms of
malnutrition. To help improve the nutritional health of these children, the
Abbott Fund has formed a partnership with AmeriCares to support the expansion
of Giao Diem's Soymilk Nutritional Supplement Program, a highly successful
program aimed at addressing nutritional health early in life.
The two leading causes of pediatric malnutrition in Vietnam are limited
access to nourishing food and a lack of nutritional education. The Soymilk
Nutritional Supplement Program works with local elementary schools to educate
teachers and caretakers about good nutrition, and using local resources to
support the nutritional needs of children enrolled in the program.
Helping Improve Childhood Nutrition
The Giao Diem program began in 2004 with 379 kindergartners from remote
rural areas. The children received a daily supplement of two cups of soymilk
fortified with peanuts and one cup of rice bean congee, sweet rice with beans,
noodle soup or fruit, along with a chewable multiple vitamin and 300mg of
chewable calcium. Teachers, staff and parents received training on child
nutrition. The Abbott Fund supported the initial program by providing a supply
Abbott products including Ensure, PediaSure and multivitamins.
After only 10 months, the children had made striking progress. The
percentage of underweight participants declined from 41
percent to 14 percent, while rates of
anemia declined from 51 percent to 9 percent. At the same time, nutrition workshops helped
promote the active involvement of parents and teachers.
As a result of this on-going success, Abbott Fund has provided AmeriCares
with grants totaling more than $200,000 to support the program's expansion to
its 2008 target of 65 classrooms serving a total of 1,721 children. The grants
support training, equipment, vitamins, and educational supplies. Abbott has
also donated PediaSure valued at over $300,000. By the end of the year, the
program aims for 85 percent of the children to
reach 80 percent of heir ideal weight and height.
Established in 1991, the Gao Diem Humanitarian Foundation helps sustain
humanitarian services throughout Vietnam. Its services include support for
orphanages and nursing homes, aid during natural disasters and medical,
nutritional and financial assistance.
Program Results
Despite flooding and infrastructure damage as a result of the 2006 typhoon,
the program's impact on health has been significant. From the baseline in
September 2006 through May 2007, positive results were noted in all 3
provinces:
- Average height and weight increase of 2.2 inches and 4.6 pounds in Hue
Province
- Average height and weight increase of 3.0 inches and 3.8 pounds in Quang
Tri Province
- Average height and weight increase of 0.8 inches and 3.1 pounds in Dong
Thap Province
Pediatric Nutrition in Vietnam
More than 70 percent of children who suffer from protein energy
malnutrition, one of its most serious forms, live in Asia; Vietnam is one of
the most adversely affected. More than 25 percent
of Vietnamese children under five are underweight while 12.5 percent are vitamin A deficient, according to
UNICEF.