Decision No. 21/2001/QĐ-TTg Approving the National Nutrition Strategy for the period 2001-2010

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the National Nutrition Strategy for the period 2001-2010

_______________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Government Organization Law dated September 30, 1992;

Pursuant to the People's Health Protection Law dated June 30, 2000;

At the proposal of the Minister of Health,

DECISION:

Article 1.

Approves the National Nutrition Strategy for the period 2001-2010 with the main contents as follows:

1. Objectives:

a) General Objective

Ensuring that by 2010, the nutrition status of the people is significantly improved, families, primarily children and mothers, are reasonably nourished and cared for, the meals of people in all regions are sufficient in quantity and improved in quality, ensuring safety and hygiene. Limiting new health issues arising related to nutrition.

b) Specific Objectives

- The people are enhanced in knowledge and practice of reasonable nutrition.

Targets:

+ The ratio of mothers with knowledge and correct practice of nutrition for sick children increases from 20.2% in 2000 to 40% in 2005 and 60% in 2010.

+ The ratio of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their infants for the first four months increases from 31.1% in 2000 to 45% in 2005 and 60% in 2010.

+ The ratio of female youth trained in nutrition and motherhood knowledge reaches 25% in 2005 and 40% in 2010.

- Reducing the rate of malnutrition in children and mothers.

Targets:

+ The rate of moderate-severe malnutrition according to age in children under five years old nationwide decreases by 1.5% annually to below 25% in 2005 and below 20% in 2010.

+ The rate of stunting according to age in children under five years old nationwide decreases by 1.5% annually.

+ The rate of newborns with weight below 2500g decreases to 7% in 2005 and

6% in 2010.

+ Reducing the rate of chronic energy deficiency in reproductive-age women nationwide decreases by 1% annually.

+ The rate of overweight children under five years old remains below 5%.

- Addressing fundamentally the situation of vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and significantly reducing the incidence of nutritional anemia.

Targets:

+ The rate of corneal xerosis due to vitamin A deficiency in children under five years old remains consistently below the community health significance threshold.

+ Reducing the preclinical state of vitamin A deficiency: the rate of children under five years old with low serum vitamin A levels decreases to below 8% in 2005 and below 5% in 2010.

+ Eradicating basic disorders caused by iodine deficiency: by 2005, the rate of goiter in children aged 8-12 years old is below 5%; maintaining national iodized salt distribution with over 90% of households using iodized salt; urinary iodine level reaching 10-20 mcg/dl.

+ The rate of iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women in all areas with programs decreases to 30% in 2005 and 25% in 2010.

Reducing the rate of households with low calorie intake.

Targets:

The ratio of households with average daily per capita energy intake below 1800 kcal decreases from 15% in 2000 to 10% in 2005 and below 5% in 2010.

Significantly improving food safety and hygiene conditions.

Targets:

+ Reducing the number of mass food poisoning incidents (with more than 30 cases per incident) by 25% in 2005 and by 35% in 2010 (compared to 1999).

+ Reducing the number of food poisoning cases by 10% in 2005 and by 30% in 2010 (compared to 1999).

+ Reducing the rate of microbial contamination of street food and ready-to-eat food.

2. Main solutions and policies:

a) Improving nutrition and food safety and hygiene quality:

- Educating and disseminating nutrition knowledge to the entire population;

- Ensuring household food security;

- Preventing protein-energy malnutrition in children and mothers;

Preventing micronutrient deficiencies;

- Preventing chronic diseases related to nutrition;

Integrating nutrition activities into primary healthcare services;

Ensuring food quality and safety;

- Monitoring, evaluating, and supervising nutrition;

- Establishing model points to accumulate experience for guidance.

b) Policies closely related to nutrition:

- Ensuring national food security;

- Promoting poverty reduction;

- Improving infrastructure and essential services for maternal and child care.

c) Support policies for nutrition:

- Incorporating nutrition targets into local socio-economic development plans;

- Perfecting support policies for nutrition care;

- Socializing nutrition work.

d) Investment to implement the strategy:

- Investing from the state budget;

- Leveraging internal resources and mobilizing the community;

- Strengthening international cooperation on nutrition.

3. Implementation Plan:

a) Phase 1 (2001-2005):

- Implementing key activities to improve nutrition, focusing on education, training, human resource development, and supplementing support policies for nutrition.

- Continuing to implement target programs.

b) Phase 2 (2006-2010):

Continuing previous activities, institutionalizing state guidance on nutrition work, maintaining sustainability, comprehensively evaluating the implementation of the Strategy.

Article 2.

The Ministry of Health is the lead agency responsible for implementing the Strategy, coordinating with the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development, Education and Training, Justice, Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Science and Technology, Environment, the Vietnam National Committee for Child Protection and Care, the National Population and Family Planning Committee, the General Statistics Office, and relevant agencies to develop plans, organize guidance on implementation, inspect, supervise, and compile annual reports on the implementation of the Strategy to report to the Prime Minister; organizing mid-term reviews of the Strategy in 2005 and final evaluations in 2010. The Institute of Nutrition is the permanent body assisting the Ministry of Health in technical implementation, organizing inspections and supervision, and periodically evaluating the implementation of this Strategy. During the implementation of the Strategy, it is necessary to focus on developing capacity while determining investment directions for resources to ensure the most effective and sustainable development of the Strategy.

Article 3.

Annually, based on the state budget's capacity and the progress of the Strategy, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment allocate funds from the state budget (both domestic and foreign) to ensure that the activities of the Strategy are carried out according to purpose and achieve results.

Article 4.

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies within their respective functions and responsibilities have the responsibility to coordinate with the Ministry of Health to implement the tasks and goals of the National Nutrition Strategy for the period 2001-2010.

Article 5.

THIS DECISION SHALL TAKE EFFECT 15 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF SIGNATURE.

Article 6.

The Ministers, Heads of agencies at the ministerial level, agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

It is requested that the Vietnam Women's Union and relevant agencies cooperate with the Ministry of Health to implement this Decision.