TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORKDOHAQatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched phase one of a project to support life-saving therapeutic and preventive nutrition services in northwestern Syria, with funding from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The project, which is the second of its kind this year, is expected to last until June 2023.The project aims to save lives and reduce mortality and morbidity rates among the most vulnerable groups by (1) identifying acute malnutrition in children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, (2) providing micronutrients and preventive nutritional supplements, (3) referring critical cases to specialised medical centres, (4) promoting health education about infant/child nutrition in emergencies, and (5) raising awareness about important health-related issues.Nutrition services were activated through mobile rapid response teams of 50 health professionals to broaden coverage and reach the most vulnerable populations in undeserved remote areas.The nutrition programmes were tailored to the COVID-19 context in order to reduce infection risks while maintaining life-saving nutrition services. In terms of raising awareness, the project employs interactive and engaging informative techniques to help better disseminate healthy and proper nutritional behaviours among the target communities long after the intervention has ended, ensuring social impact sustainability.Direct beneficiaries are estimated to be 158,000 people in 27 IDP villages and camps in northern Syria, including 60,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women and 80,000 male and female children.
