One of the ways the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) is addressing malnutrition among vulnerable groups of children, people living with HIV and women is through the production and utilization of ACTION Meal.
ACTION Meal is a therapeutic supplementary food made from locally available foods in Nigeria. It comprises of maize 60%, soya beans 30%, groundnut 10% and fortified with vitamins and minerals. ACTION Meal contains total energy of 483 Kcal/100g sachet. This fortified nutritional supplements is designed to boost immunity, energy, and overall treatment outcomes. IHVN has produced Action Meal in collaboration with Dala Foods Nigeria Limited since ?2010.
ACTION Meal is easy to prepare and comes industrially packaged hence it is easy to store. It has a shelf life of 18 months with no added preservatives. The product has been approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Beneficiaries access ACTION Meal following a nutritional assessment, counseling and medical care as required. The supplementation is offered to patients at the recommended dose to build their body weight as recommended for their age and height. IHVN collaborates with community-based organizations to follow up with households to provide guidance on how to hygienically prepare ACTION Meal. They also educate households on important food groups and their local sources to empower them nutritionally for proper growth and better treatment outcomes.
To date, 1,480 cartons of Action Meal have been distributed across Nigeria with over 5,000 beneficiaries recorded.
ACTION Meal is packaged and easy to store, which makes it accessible via community networks distribution systems.
