SPRING/Bangladesh was honored to receive two high officials from the Government of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to visit its work in Khulna Division. Dr. A.B.M. Muzharul Islam, Line Director of Bangladesh’s National Nutrition Services, and Dr. Md. Yousuf, Line Director of Community Based Health Care, visited a community clinic, a farmer group and two farmer nutrition schools (FNS) that have been supported by SPRING/Bangladesh since the project’s work began in March 2012. The delegation also had a meeting with the civil surgeon of Narail District.
During the day-long visit, the senior delegation visited two districts of Khulna division, Jessore and Narail, and saw a number of nutrition activities that SPRING has been supporting. At the community clinic, the delegation saw how SPRING has been working with the government to improve the delivery of quality nutrition messages and counseling through training and regular supportive supervision, monitoring, and coordination efforts. At the farmer group, an existing structure under the Ministry of Agriculture, the group saw a Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer delivering important messages on household nutrition to a group of farmers through the existing government farmer group platform. Finally, delegates observed a FNS refresher training session and talked with the participating mothers on health and nutrition issues. SPRING has focused on engaging activities that mobilize rural communities for behavior change for improved nutrition, with a particular focus on pregnant and lactating women and children under two years of age.
The delegation expressed its appreciation to SPRING/Bangladesh for its efforts in supporting the Government of Bangladesh to improve nutrition across Barisal and Khulna divisions in Southern Bangladesh. Since its inception in 2012, SPRING/Bangladesh has trained more than 5,000 frontline government staff on nutrition, has supported more than 1,100 health facilities, and has established more than 6,000 farmer nutrition schools in 40 sub-districts (upazilas) of Khulna and Barisal divisions.
