Prioritizing and Funding the Uganda Nutrition Action Plan

Abstract

Background: In 2010, Uganda began developing its first multisectoral nutrition plan, the Uganda Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP), to reduce malnutrition. While the UNAP signals high-level commitment to addressing nutrition, knowledge gaps remain about how to successfully implement such a plan. Objective: We tracked the UNAP's influence on the process of priority setting and funding for nutrition from 2013 to 2015. Methods: This study used a longitudinal mixed methods design to track qualitative and budgetary changes related to UNAP processes nationally as well as in 2 study districts. Qualitative changes were assessed through interviews, news content, and meeting notes. Changes in allocations and expenditures were calculated based on budget documents, work plans, and validation interviews. Results: Important enabling factors named by stakeholders included identity, human resources, sustainable structures, coordination, advocacy, and adaptation of the UNAP to local needs. Evidence suggests that the UNAP facilitated improvements in the last 3 factors. We found no systematic increases in planned nutrition activities, nor did we find increases in allocations or expenditures for nutrition between fiscal years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. Expenditure data were not always available for all funding mechanisms. In the 2 study districts, there was little flexibility within financing structures to allow for additional nutrition activities. Conclusions: Results suggest the UNAP has played an important role in strengthening the enabling environment for nutrition action. The next UNAP will need to translate these improvements into a greater number of nutrition activities and higher levels of funding at the national and subnational levels.

Understanding pathways to better nutrition at district level: Lessons from Uganda

“…Overall PBN study methodology is available elsewhere [8]. This component of the study focused on comparing qualitative data collected via the PBN study to quantitative survey results collected via the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition [9].…”

Policy overview of the multisectoral nutrition planning process: The progress, challenges, and lessons learned from Burkina Faso

“…The experience of Nepal indicates that, with regard to the longer‐term outcomes of this process, the existence and implementation of the multisectoral nutrition plan helped to strengthen the enabling environment, the prioritization of nutrition, the integration of pro‐nutrition interventions in various sectors, the significant increase in the resources mobilized for nutrition, and the achievement of an annual rate of reduction in stunting of 3.3% . In addition, the Ugandan experience shows that multisectoral planning has long led to the inclusion of nutrition in the strategic documents of the ministries responsible for education, agriculture, and trade …”

“…Indeed, the need to involve and sensitize other sectors about their roles and contributions to nutrition requires months‐long discussions and work with the sectors to mainstream nutrition into their sector plans for scaling up high‐impact nutrition‐sensitive interventions . The duration might also be due to the anchor level of multisectoral coordination of nutrition in the country . The leader in nutrition in Burkina Faso is the MoH, and because of this sectoral anchoring of multisectoral coordination, the multisectoral planning process takes more time.…”

“…A major challenge for nutrition funding is the lack of a resource mobilization strategy . While efforts need to be made to mobilize external resources from development partners, it will be important to increase advocacy to mobilize domestic resources, including from the private sector, national philanthropy, and other sources, to finance multisectoral nutrition actions …”

Nutritional status of Ugandan school‐children: The effect of age imprecision

“…Relatedly, almost one out of four Ugandan girls 15–19 years old are already mothers, and they are also likely malnourished (Vogt et al, ). It is estimated that malnutrition is responsible for about 35% of deaths among children under five (Agaba, Pomeroy‐Stevens, Ghosh, & Griffiths, ) and that it will cost Uganda about 7.7 billion US$ in lost productivity between 2013 and 2025 (Pomeroy‐Stevens et al, ).…”