Objectives
To identify specific activities and estimate costs and other resource requirements for each of the agencies involved in food fortification in Uganda, leading to the design and implementation of a more comprehensive and sustainable Program.
Methods
Information was corrected through a desk review and Key informant interviews with stakeholders from Public sector. The desk review included ministerial policy statements, sector reports, budgets, databases, workplans, guidelines, manuals, strategic plans, and ECSA Health Community manuals. Interviews with key public sector representatives were conducted to understand their perceptions on promoting and funding food fortification.
Results
The review highlighted the continuing role of three key ministries (Health; Trade, Industry and Cooperatives; and Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries), three regulatory agencies (Uganda Bureau of Standards, National Drug Authority, Uganda Bureau of Statistics), and other collaborators. All the public agencies surveyed did not prioritize and budget for fortification activities and had no monitoring and evaluation plans. In general, the Program is making progress for the mandatory food vehicles(vegetable oils and fats,Wheat flour and maize flour) except for maize flour which is still segmented and characterized by low production capacities with poor manufacturing practices.
Conclusions
Uganda needs an integrated fortification strategy that is led, implemented and monitored by national insitutions to bring both Public and Private sectors together and to ensure food fortification Quality. This could be achived through active involvement of sectoral planners in Public sector to ensure that the food fortication agenda is well represented during sectoral budgeting.
