National Nutrition Policy and Plan of Action.

The present Nutrition Policy and Plan of Action of Kiribati embodies the country's commitment to improve the nutritional well-being of all I-Kiribati and ameliorate the problem of malnutrition in the population. It spells out the policies that the government adopts as a manifestation of this commitment, together with the national plan of action to carry out these policies. Recognizing that the country is faced with the double edged problem of undernutrition in children and overnutrition in adults, the Government will accord high priority to improve the country's food and nutrition situation to enable the population to contribute to the country's socio-economic development and improve their quality of life. Accordingly the Government will provide the necessary political and economic backing required to deal with the food and nutrition issues facing the nation. For its objective, the Plan calls for the reduction of undernutrition in children by the end of this decade, virtually eliminate clinical vitamin A deficiency and reduce the incidence of anaemia among children and pregnant women, decrease the incidence of communicable diseases among adults, increase self-sufficiency in food and improve environmental sanitation. To carry out the Plan, a rnulti-sectoral coordinated approach will be followed. In addition, the strategy of decreasing dependency on imported food and improving household food security, and promoting a healthy blend of traditional and modern practices will be adopted. In order to fulfill these objectives, the Plan prescribes five impact programmes: 1) direct nutrition services to those suffering from malnutrition and of high nutritional risk, 2) nutrition education programme in schools and communities, 3) universal vitamin A supplementation in infants and young children, 4) infant food production, and 5) potable water and environmental sanitation programme. To support these programmes, three support strategies will be carried out: 1) human resource capacity building. 2) Resource generation, and 3) nutrition surveys and research. Recognizing that the problem of malnutrition is not only multi-sectoral but multi-faceted, the Plan will fully utilize linkages with all sectors of government and private sector - from health to natural resources and education, from trade and commerce to public works, to employment and borne affairs. The NGOs will also be conscripted into the programme. To manage this national programme, a National Food and Nutrition Committee will be established to serve as the advisory body to the Government of Kiribati on all matters related to nutrition. The Committee will have the primary function of planning and coordinating all programmes and activities under the Plan, assisted by the National Nutrition Centre which will act as the Committee's Secretariat.
In particular, Chapter IV provides for Goal and Objectives. The Policy’s Plan is to attain for the population of Kiribati good nutritional status in order to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development and improve their quality of life. Its Objectives are outlined as follows: By the end of the Plan period: 1) Reduce the incidence of undernutrition among children by 50%; 2) Virtually eliminate clinical vitamin A deficiency; 3) Reduce the incidences of iron deficiency anaemia among pregnant women and children; 4) Decrease the prevalence of obesity and the incidence of NCD among adults; 5) Increase self-sufficiency in food and improve household food security, and 6) improve environmental sanitation and increase access to safe water supply.
The text consists of 11 Chapters as follows: Introduction (I); Nutrition Situation in Kiribati (II); Policy Thrusts (III); Goal and Objectives (IV); Strategies (V); Programmes (VI); Support Strategies (VII); Linkages with other Sectors (VIII); Monitoring and Evaluation (IX); Organization and Management (X); Budgetary Requirement (XI).