Bangladesh Adds Vitamin A to Cooking Oil to Fight Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a major problem in Bangladesh. A recently announced partnership between the government and the private sector is designed to address that problem by adding Vitamin A to cooking oil.

Bangladesh has announced a new program called the National Oil Fortification Programme (NOFP). The NOFP is a venture between the government, Vegetable Oil Refiners' Association and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). This program is designed to benefit approximately 90 million Vitamin A deficient people including 30 million women and children. "This programme is a unique step in Bangladesh's effort to fight malnutrition by delivering a common product with a vitamin that is needed very urgently, said Marc Van Ameringen, executive director of GAIN. "GAIN mobilises the business sector to fight malnutrition in a way that benefits everyone. We hope to encourage and co-create new examples of innovation in the food industry that will improve public health," said Van Ameringen. Ayub Mia, additional secretary to industry ministry, added, "Fortification of staple foods makes a cheap, safe and effective contribution to the elimination of malnutrition in Bangladesh, and thereby gives economic development a major boost." The mission of GAIN is to reduce malnutrition through food fortification and other strategies aimed at improving the health and nutrition of people at risk. Created at a special UN session for children in 2002, GAIN was created at a special UN session for children in 2002; GAIN wants to enable the private sector to play their part in providing nutrition to people In a previous venture GAIN supported a partnership program a partnership programme with Grameen-Danone Foods Ltd, that produces yogurt and markets it through a network of women.