Most Important Initiative for Global Nutritional Security for the coming decade
- A focused WHO/FAO/UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank joint program to reduce the pandemic of micronutrient deficiency in low, medium and high income countries;
- WHO to urge member states to implement mandatory fortification of basic foods as high priority in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (2030);
- WHO urgent issuance of Class I Recommended Guidelines for national mandatory fortification of basic Foods, e.g., salt with iodine; flour with iron , vitamin B complex, including folic acid and vitamin B12; milk and milk products with vitamins A and D; or alternative basic manufactured foods and possible additional exssential trace elements;
- International Technical and financial Fortification Initiative Grants.
- Standards for monitoring micronutrient status in selected population groups;
- High profile linkage of promotion of nutritional security for micronutrients as essential for improved response to infections including pandemic corona virus eg. COVID-19, influenza and others e.g., vitamin D.
Dr. Theodore Tulchinsky MD MPH