Tareen Rahman :
Icddr,b hosted an international symposium on childhood acute malnutrition in Dhaka on 8-9 June, inviting scientists from around the world to share their diverse experiences and research in the field of child nutrition.
The symposium was funded by UKAid, and guests from the Government of Bangladesh, UNICEF, UKAid, USAID as well a number of non-governmental organisations and universities attended it.
Icddr,b’s Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Director and Senior Scientist with the Center for Nutrition and Food Security, unveiled recent progress in the development and evaluation of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), using local ingredients for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in Bangladesh.
Nearly 20 million children are affected by severe acute malnutrition, which causes low weight for height, and it is estimated that one million children worldwide die of the condition every year.
Professor John D Clemens, Executive Director of icddr,b, highlighted the tremendous need for medical advances in the therapy of children with severe acute malnutrition when he spoke in the inauguration of the symposium. “At icddr,b, our scientists are making great progress in the clinical evaluation of the inexpensive local products, which promise to help with the treatment of this condition-not only in Bangladesh, but also in other countries in South Asia where the diets are so similar,” he said.
Indeed, Dr Ahmed and his team have successfully developed and evaluated two RUTF products that are made with local ingredients like chickpeas or rice and lentils, and which preliminary research suggests can effectively compete with imported, commercial products. These RUTF, which were announced during the inauguration of the symposium, directly address the World Health Organization guidelines on the treatment of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition, which specify that RUTF should preferably be produced locally, using locally available food.
During the event the scientists also discussed other recent scientific evidence on acute malnutrition, and held a workshop on international program and research needs, sharing challenges such as a gap in understanding of severe acute malnutrition and the differences in treatment processes that are required for facility-based or community-based acute malnutrition management.
Speaking at the symposium, DFID country representative Sarah Cooke said, “I am really delighted that UKAid’s Department for International Development is sponsoring this international symposium today. It’s a timely event that has the potential to make a lasting difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Bangladesh.”
Icddr,b hosted an international symposium on childhood acute malnutrition in Dhaka on 8-9 June, inviting scientists from around the world to share their diverse experiences and research in the field of child nutrition.
The symposium was funded by UKAid, and guests from the Government of Bangladesh, UNICEF, UKAid, USAID as well a number of non-governmental organisations and universities attended it.
Icddr,b’s Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Director and Senior Scientist with the Center for Nutrition and Food Security, unveiled recent progress in the development and evaluation of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), using local ingredients for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in Bangladesh.
Nearly 20 million children are affected by severe acute malnutrition, which causes low weight for height, and it is estimated that one million children worldwide die of the condition every year.
Professor John D Clemens, Executive Director of icddr,b, highlighted the tremendous need for medical advances in the therapy of children with severe acute malnutrition when he spoke in the inauguration of the symposium. “At icddr,b, our scientists are making great progress in the clinical evaluation of the inexpensive local products, which promise to help with the treatment of this condition-not only in Bangladesh, but also in other countries in South Asia where the diets are so similar,” he said.
Indeed, Dr Ahmed and his team have successfully developed and evaluated two RUTF products that are made with local ingredients like chickpeas or rice and lentils, and which preliminary research suggests can effectively compete with imported, commercial products. These RUTF, which were announced during the inauguration of the symposium, directly address the World Health Organization guidelines on the treatment of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition, which specify that RUTF should preferably be produced locally, using locally available food.
During the event the scientists also discussed other recent scientific evidence on acute malnutrition, and held a workshop on international program and research needs, sharing challenges such as a gap in understanding of severe acute malnutrition and the differences in treatment processes that are required for facility-based or community-based acute malnutrition management.
Speaking at the symposium, DFID country representative Sarah Cooke said, “I am really delighted that UKAid’s Department for International Development is sponsoring this international symposium today. It’s a timely event that has the potential to make a lasting difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Bangladesh.”
