Aims of the Task Force
The aims of the Task Force are:-
- to establish three regional networks to coordinate technical expertise and develop capacity-building partnerships
- to raise the profile of malnutrition among health policy makers and donor agencies and advocate increased recognition of its importance to child survival
- to work with partners to build capacity to prevent and treat malnutrition
- to advocate for inclusion of malnutrition in medical and nursing curricular and for WHO case-management guidelines to be implemented in paediatric wards
- to facilitate the scaling-up of effective interventions to reduce malnutrition deaths
- to encourage health workers to undertake operational research to monitor and improve their performance and provide data for advocacy action
- to raise resources
- to publish and disseminate research findings and experiences.
The aims of the Task Force are of direct relevance to Millennium Development Goal 4, which seeks to reduce child mortality by two-thirds, as malnutrition currently contributes to a majority of child deaths and an integrated system of prevention, timely referral, correct inpatient treatment, and effective community care will improve child survival.
This report, presented to the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) describes the activities of the IMTF since its inception in 2005.
Download the full report here