Kenya

A supply readiness assessment was carried out by Sight and Life in 2015 and formative research for MMS was done through a social franchising model.
An MMS task force has been established. However, MMS is yet to be included in national budgets and procurement plans. The country has a draft policy that includes MMS and established a standalone coordination mechanism to support planning and implementation. Advocacy and awareness activities were conducted. Current funding supports components like landscape analyses and MMS Taskforce meetings, with plans to leverage the Social Health Insurance Fund and the sub-national government’s experience in Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) procurement. Research, such as the National Micronutrient Survey and implementation research, will inform MMS quality standards. Delivery will build on Kenya’s robust supply chain systems, including the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority and the Kenya Health Information System.

In 2024, Vitamin Angels started working with the Ministry of Health and other key partners to explore introducing MMS, providing technical guidance around using an evidence-based approach (implementation science) to inform the introduction of MMS, and working with partners to identify the key next steps. Challenges include: insufficient funds for implementation research and lack of current data on micronutrient status. Lessons learned include that stakeholder engagement, intra-ministerial collaboration, awareness creation, and experience sharing are essential for successful implementation research.

In Kenya, BEP supplementation is implemented in settings of Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes (TSFP) and Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programmes (BSFP) and has been active for several years, with notable adjustments during recent crises. In TSFP settings, the supplement is in the form of CSB+ or CSB++ and delivered through health facilities to pregnant women up to 6 months postpartum. Geographical targeting is based on various indicators such as data on food security, wasting, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), and pregnant and lactating women and girls undernutrition. Individual targeting is based on a MUAC cut-off of 21 cm for enrollment and 23 cm for discharge.
In BSFP settings, BEP supplementation, also in the form of CSB+ and CSB++ but in a smaller dosage is delivered in emergency settings in areas of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM levels) above 30%.