5 May 2026 – On the margins of the seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), global health leaders will convene for an official side event highlighting progress and renewed commitment to tackling micronutrient deficiencies through multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and large-scale food fortification (LSFF). Titled “Large-Scale Food Fortification and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation: Progress and Promise to Address Malnutrition,” the high-level event will take place on Thursday, 21 May, from 13:00 to 14:20 in Room XVI, Palais des Nations. Lunch will be served from 12:30.
Registration: https://bit.ly/WHA79nutrition
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More than two billion people worldwide are affected by micronutrient deficiencies, which contribute significantly to maternal and child mortality, impaired development, and preventable conditions such as neural tube defects. The side event will bring together Ministers of Health, technical experts, youth advocates, and international partners to galvanize political commitment behind two complementary, cost-effective interventions. The event aims to showcase national leadership, inspire new country commitments, and reinforce momentum toward achieving SDG-3 on health and well-being. Through two panel discussions focused on food systems and health systems, participating governments, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Sierra Leone, will share experiences and best practices in strengthening fortification programs and integrating MMS into antenatal care. Speakers will underscore how LSFF and MMS together form an integrated strategy that spans food systems and health services to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for women and children.
The event is co-organized by GAIN and Helen Keller International, with support from the WHO and a broad coalition of global partners including Eleanor Crook Foundation, Food Fortification Initiative, Future Fortified, Global Alliance for the Prevention of Spina Bifida, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium – Micronutrient Forum, Helen Keller Intl, International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, Kirk Humanitarian, Nutrition International, UNICEF, Vitamin Angels, WFP in partnership with the governments of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
