Making programs more effective

Understanding how well programs are working is crucial to avoiding slippage and addressing bottlenecks.  IGN has designed and is currently testing a tool for national program managers that identifies a series of program elements and indicators to assess strengths and vulnerabilities, using already available data as much as possible.

For example, with the success of universal salt iodization, many countries are no longer seeing iodine deficiency as a priority and the issue is fading from health and nutrition agendas.  The tool contains indicators to assess the level of awareness of the issue and the strength of advocacy efforts. Indicators have also been developed to assess the strength and quality of program elements such as legislation/regulation, program management and coordination, and salt production and distribution allowing program managers to more easily develop their annual workplans to prioritize activities to address these vulnerabilities.

We’re also involved in creating a similar tool that covers broader fortification efforts.  Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), we have worked with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Flour Fortification Initiative (FFI), our partners in the Global Fortification Data Exchange (GFDx), to design such a data and monitoring tool aimed to enhance effectiveness and future sustainability. This global database will allow national data to be in one place, making analysis and review easier.