The European Union today handed over IT equipment to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in its continuous efforts to support the Lao PDR strengthening its nutrition data collection across six provinces and thus improving nutrition policies nationwide. The European Union today handed over IT equipment to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in its continuous efforts to support the Lao PDR strengthening its nutrition data collection across six provinces and thus improving nutrition policies nationwide.
The IT equipment includes computers, speakers, printers and uninterruptible power supplies alongside other office supplies, which were provided under the EU funded National Information Platforms for Nutrition (NIPN) programme implemented by UNICEF. The programme aims to build the Lao PDR’s capacity to analyze nutrition data across different sectors and track nutrition investments to help inform better national policies around nutrition.
“We thank the EU and UNICEF for their support in equipping provincial authorities with the tools to gather more accurate data on nutrition deprivations that children face, all with the purpose of ensuring that our national policies are evidence-based and responsive to the needs of those children,” said Ms. Sisomboun Ounavong, Director General of the Department for International Cooperation, MPI.
The handover of the equipment to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment (DPI) staff from Phongsaly, Oudomxay, Khammouane, Savannakhet, Saravanh, and Sekong provinces six provinces will augment their capacity to track nutrition interventions and gather nutrition data in their respective provinces. The event coincided with the provincial orientation on NIPN, where the staff of the host institutions will be introduced to NIPN and its objectives.
“The purpose of the NIPN provincial orientation is to promote a shared vision of what we want to achieve with NIPN in the Lao PDR. As such, we are confident that the equipment provided will be instrumental in helping provincial DPI staff collect data for more effective decision-making in nutrition and thus further expand NIPN in the country,” said Ms. Assunta Testa, Attaché for Food and Nutrition Security at the EU Delegation to the Lao PDR.
“Good nutrition during the early years of a child’s life makes all the difference for their growth and development. To ensure that every child has the best start to life, we must ensure that our policies are responsive to their needs and data is key in this equation,” said Mr. Arturo Romboli, UNICEF Deputy Representative in the Lao PDR.UNICEF and the EU remains dedicated to improving nutrition outcomes in the Lao PDR through the NIPN programme.”
NIPN is an international initiative of the European Commission. It is implemented in nine countries, with the Lao PDR being the sole country from Southeast Asia.
Source: Lao News Agency
