Survey Information flyer for regional and provincial level health
workers in PNG on the National Micro-nutrient Survey 2005
Next year, National Department of Health in collaboration with School of Medicine and
Health Sciences and UNICEF will carry out the National Nutrition and Micro-nutrient
Survey. The survey will start in March 2005 and hopefully data collection will be finished
by July 2005.
The three parties have signed a Memorandum of Agreement and are committed to the
survey. A National Nutrition Survey Taskforce has been established with representatives
from NDOH, SMHS and UNICEF to plan and conduct the survey. Preparations for the
survey are well underway.
The International Micronutrient Malnutrition Prevention and Control (IMMPaCt)
Programme, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta provides
technical and financial support.
A four man technical team from CDC and Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University
(INMU), Thailand, visited PNG from 18 to 28 July and held discussions with relevant
government agencies and provided intensive technical support to the Taskforce.
Why is it necessary to conduct a national Nutrition and Micro-nutrient Survey?
Malnutrition in all its forms affects socio – economic development of PNG. The
economic output of malnourished people is less than from their optimal nourished
counterparts.
Nutrition plays a critical role in the survival, growth and development of children. They
will not reach their full potential, if malnourished in their youth. In addition, a supply of
adequate micro – nutrients is crucial for optimal health.
All the development goals as contained in Medium Term Strategic Plan (MTSP), the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and all other plans cannot be achieved if
malnutrition is a public health problem.
PNG is a country in transition. While a large proportion is still affected by under-nutrition,
increasingly people succumb to lifestyle related diseases like diabetes, heart ailments
and smoking related diseases.
Since Independence in 1975, large mining and oil exploration projects have provided
royalties for many. In addition, cash crops, like oil-palm, coffee and vanilla, have
provided an income for the rural population. Eating habits have changed, rice is no
longer the staple food for the urbanites, but increasingly farmers consume their own
cultivated rice.
What has been the impact on the population of these changes?
At this stage it is not known, since the last national nutrition survey was conducted in
1982-83. The NNS 1982/83 has information on the nutrition and health status of children
under 5 years of age. In order to effectively reduce malnutrition, there is need to know
the magnitude and the determinants of the nutritional problems.
In addition, Papua New Guinea has limited information on the extent and magnitude of
the micro-nutrient and nutritional status of women of child bearing age and children
under 5 years. It will also assess the current infant and young child feeding practices, as
weaning practices have long contributed to the serious problem of malnutrition in PNG.
What can be achieved with the survey results?
The main goal of the national survey is to assess the nutritional status of children and
women of child bearing age in PNG, as well as the micro-nutrient (iron, iodine and
vitamin A) status, for advocacy, planning, implementation and strengthening of nutrition
and other interventions.
The results of the survey will provide a reliable national data on the nutrition and
micronutrient status of women and children. This information will enable the government
develop and implement interventions to improve health, nutrition and micro-nutrient
status of women and children. It can also be used for advocacy on e.g. gender and safe
motherhood issues.
Provinces can play their part
Data will be collected in randomly selected communities across the country and this will
form a major part of the survey. Most of the data collectors will be health workers drawn
from the provinces. This is in line with the key objectives of the UNICEF-CDC
collaboration which is to develop the capacity of the health staff to enable them to
assess the vitamin and mineral status of women and children now and in the near future.
For the success of the survey, there is need for provinces to get actively involved in the
field work to ensure that the selected communities are adequately informed, monitor the
movement of the teams (arrive and get to their locations safely) and provide good
storage facilities for the samples.