About This Unit
The Child Nutrition Unit is responsible for uplifting the nutrition status of children under the age of 5 years in Sri Lanka through policy, programme delivery, capacity building, and supply-chain management at the national level.
Key Activities
- Policy development and technical guidance for child nutrition at national level.
- Implementation and oversight of nutrition strategic and annual plans aligned with MCH policy.
- Stakeholder advocacy on infant/young child feeding, growth monitoring, micronutrient supplementation, and emergency nutrition response.
- Technical guidance provision to health workers on standards and protocols.
- Staff capacity building through training and resource material development.
- Community behavior change communication in partnership with Health Promotion Bureau.
- Supply chain management including vitamin A supplementation, therapeutic foods, and growth monitoring equipment.
- Maintenance of health records including Child Health and Development Records and growth charts.
- Annual child nutrition status surveys during "Nutrition Month".
- Committee oversight of maternal/child nutrition and breastfeeding code compliance.
- Cross-sectoral collaboration to strengthen nutrition services.