July 19, 2004

By: Adrian Tokarnik
Website: http://www.1st-in-vitamins.com

USAID Awards $2.5 Million to The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition

USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios today announced a $2.5 million contribution to The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, established to improve the nutritional status of at least 600 million people in up to 40 developing countries.

The announcement comes on the heels of a $10.7 million grant award from GAIN's international alliance to support vitamin and mineral country programs over the next three years in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Mali, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

The funding from USAID and other donors will help support grants to bolster country food programs. Adding vitamins and minerals to common foods, a process known as food fortification, can save lives, prevent disabilities and help build health and productivity.

Well-designed food fortification programs are essential to improving the health of people in the developing world, especially children, said Dr. E. Anne Peterson, USAID Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Global Health. Increased intake of vitamins and minerals can reduce the severity of infectious diseases, such as malaria, measles and diarrheal disease. Most significantly, increased vitamin A intake can reduce child mortality by 30 percent. Food fortification reflects the growing global movement determined to give all children the best possible start in life.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency, also known as micronutrient deficiency, can cause birth defects, maternal and child death, blindness, anemia and increased vulnerability to infections. These deficiencies can be reduced by adding vitamins and minerals to staple and processed foods like wheat flour, sugar, cooking oil, bouillon cubes and other condiments. The fortification process has been used in industrialized nations for more than 80 years.

Overall, GAIN has awarded grants to Bolivia, China, the Dominican Republic, Mali, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam.

In addition to working with GAIN, of which USAID is a founding member, the agency also supports the development of country food fortification programs in Bangladesh, Central America, Eritrea, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, the Philippines, Uganda and Zambia.

About The Author:

Adrian Tokarnik is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-vitamins.com.  Recommending the best vitamins, minerals, herbs and weight loss products for optimum health.