Improving Maternal Health & Nutrition in Bhutan Through Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS)

Last week, the Vitamin Angels Asia regional team, consisting of Dr. Ashutosh Mishra, Vitamin Angels' Senior Technical Director for Asia, and Director of Programs, India, and Aishwarya Panicker, Vitamin Angels' Technical Specialist, Asia, visited Bhutan's Ministry of Health (MoH) to discuss the country's recently rolled out Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) program.

Earlier this year, Bhutan transitioned from an Iron Folic Acid supplementation program to a Multiple Micronutrient Supplement program. The MMS program is now a crucial component of the antenatal and postnatal care delivered by the government, serving pregnant and breastfeeding women across the country. As a leader in South Asia, Bhutan's MoH has already begun training health staff on the MMS program, utilizing training videos specifically developed for this purpose, and engaging with communities through advocacy videos.

During their visit, the Vitamin Angels team met Hari Prasad Pokhrel, Deputy Chief Program Officer of the Nutrition Program at the Department of Public Health. The team visited the National Referral Hospital, Paro Dzongkhag (District Hospital), and Drugyal Primary Health Center, where the team interacted with health staff involved in the rollout of MMS and gained insights into its implementation.

Our team also met with officials from the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) to explore potential collaborations on implementation research through the university's upcoming Centre of Excellence in Nutrition. Additionally, discussions were held with the Officiating Director of the DoPH to explore areas of synergy between Vitamin Angels and Bhutan’s Ministry of Health.

Vitamin Angels is partnering with Bhutan's Ministry of Health to provide MMS supplies for the next phase of the national program rollout. Furthermore, Vitamin Angels will offer technical assistance to the government in conducting implementation research, aimed at generating evidence to support the inclusion of MMS in the National Essential Medicine List. This research will also focus on improving the uptake, adherence, and compliance of MMS among pregnant and breastfeeding women.