Food by Prescription

This operation has been modified as per budget revision 6 (see below)

Swaziland has the highest prevalence rate of HIV in the world with 26 percent of the adult population and 38 percent of pregnant women infected.  Around 80,000 people living with HIV require anti-retroviral treatment and 9,300 are estimated to need prevention of motherto-child transmission treatment. Of these, 59 percent and 88 percent respectively are currently receiving medication. A malnutrition baseline survey, undertaken in October 2010, found that 24 percent of those receiving anti-retroviral treatment and 57 percent of those initiating tuberculosis treatment were acutely malnourished. Wasting is strongly associated with poor treatment outcomes and is a reliable predictor of mortality.

The objective of this development project is to improve the client’s nutritional recovery, treatment success and survival rate as well as improve food consumption within the targeted households. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, WFP will implement a Food by Prescription programme in the main health facilities across the country targeting: (i) undernourished clients undergoing anti-retroviral treatment; and (ii) tuberculosis treatment and women enrolled into the prevention of mother-to-child transmission/ante-natal care. WFP will provide individual monthly take-home ration of Supercereal and a household ration. In addition, moderately malnourished children in supplementary feeding programmes, many of whom are HIV positive or exposed, will also be assisted.

Throughout the lifespan of the project, WFP will work to develop the capacity of the Ministry of Health’s National Nutrition Council with the view to handing over the implementation of the Food by Prescription programme in the future. In particular, capacity development efforts will focus on project management, procurement, storage and inventory management.

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The purpose of BR 06 to Swaziland DEV 200353 is to extend the operation by six months until 31 December 2017. During this period of extension, the objectives and overall design of the operation will remain the same as those adopted by the current approved Development Project. This extension will also serve as a bridge to the Swaziland Transitional Interim Country Strategic Plan (T-ICSP) which will cover the period 01 January 2018 to 30 June 2019.