Maternal & Child Nutrition
District Health Office (DHO) Islamabad, with support from UNICEF and CIFF, launched a district-wide nutrition initiative to prevent and treat child malnutrition and strengthen maternal and child nutrition services across Islamabad.
The program provides facility-based and community-level nutrition services through a network of Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) sites operating in rural and urban areas of Islamabad
Services Provided
- Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
- Multiple Micronutrient Powders (MNPs) for children under two years of age.
- Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling for caregivers.
- Maternal nutrition counselling for pregnant and lactating women.
- Community screening, follow-up monitoring, and Mother-to-Mother Support Group sessions through Lady Health Workers.
Maternal Nutrition & Adolescent Health Initiatives
Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS)
In April 2025, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (MoNHSR&C), in collaboration with Nutrition International, launched the Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) initiative in Islamabad. The program provides pregnant women with multiple micronutrient supplements to help prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies, improve maternal nutritional status, and support healthier pregnancy outcomes.
SOPRAN – Weekly Iron & Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFA)
Under the SOPRAN initiative, Weekly Iron and Folic Acid (WIFA) supplementation is provided to adolescent schoolgirls in selected Union Councils to prevent iron deficiency and anemia. During the reporting period, 10,890 in-school girls received WIFA supplements, contributing to improved adolescent health, enhanced nutritional status, and better future maternal health.
Key Outcomes
- Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) introduced for pregnant women in April 2025.
- 10,890 adolescent schoolgirls received Weekly Iron and Folic Acid (WIFA) supplements.
- Improved access to essential micronutrients for pregnant women and adolescent girls.
- Supports the prevention of anemia and micronutrient deficiencies.
- Contributes to improved maternal, adolescent, and child health while helping break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition.