Nutrition

The National Nutrition Programme (NNP) is the joint venture between the government and NGOs aiming to improve the nutritional status of women and children. Amongst all the components of the NNP extending from national to community levels, ten NGOs execute area based community nutrition (ABCN) at communities. Of women and children, the target group includes children under two, pregnant and lactating women, newlywed women and adolescent girls. The ABCN activities include growth monitoring and promotion, weight monitoring and promotion, food supplementation, micronutrient supply and social mobilisation. The uniqueness of NNP is combining poultry for nutrition (PFN), household food security through nutrition gardening (HFSNG) and vulnerable group development (VGD) programmes with core nutrition programme functioning under one umbrella.

This programme is financially supported by the government with the assistance of World Bank, Canadian-CIDA, the Dutch government and UNICEF. The aim of the household food security programme is to maintain and sustain food supply at household levels and thus, improve nutritional status and income of the target group. At both PFN and HFSNG programmes, the main beneficiaries are poor families with less than 0.5 hectre of land. In each CNC, 12 women known as nutrition gardening women (NGW) receive training and Taka 125 to establish nutrition garden in their household premises. A village nursery owner (VNO) selected and trained for each four CNC is given a loan to establish one nursery, which is intended to maintain supply of seeds and seedlings to NGWs to produce vegetables and fruits.

A chain of poultry programmes are maintained by a group of beneficiaries who receive training and loans of to operate key-rearer, chichk-rearer and model rearer units and mini hacteries. The poultry production is supported by a community based poultry health supervisor (PHS) who renders medicine and vaccine to keep up health of poultry birds.

The VGD-NNP programme specifically aims to support the vunerable group population- the poor living in extreme poverty who obtains training on income –generating activities and social awareness.

Tuberculosis

BRAC's TB programme began in 1984 as a pilot programme in Manikganj sadar upazila in Manikganj district. In 1994, BRAC joined in the implementation of the National TB Control Programme in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh, using the Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) strategy. The Shastho Sebikas ( health volunteers) play a critical role in the implementation of BRAC's TB programme. The SSs disseminate information regarding TB and identify suspected patients who have had a cough for more than three weeks through household visits. Sputum from the suspected are examined for confirmation of TB cases. TB cases are also confirmed through other tests by the chest specialists. Fixed Dose Dombination (FDC) drugs are being used for treatment of TB. TB treatment is given following DOTS strategy through the Shastho Sebika ( health volunteers), under the guidance of BRAC field level staff and a government or BRAC medical officer. The speciality of BRAC's DOTS strategy is that patients have to deposit Taka 200 (US$ 3.50) prior to treatment and sign a bond with two witnesses for guarantee of treatment completion. If the patient is unable to pay, then the patient seeks support from the community to pay on his behalf. If the community fails, the individual is given an exemption from the bond money. On ompletion of the treatment the deposit money is refunded to the patients and Taka 150 is given from BRAC to the Shastho Sebika ( health volunteers ) for her service.

BRAC signed an agreement with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) as the principal recipients on July 7, 2004 to control TB in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Subsequently, BRAC signed agreements with the ten partners- ICCDDRB, National Anti-Tubercolosis Association of Bangladesh, Damien Foundation, Urban Primary Health care Project, RDRS, Lepra Bangladesh, Danish Bangladesh Leprosy Mission, HEED Bangladesh, Lamb Hospital, Salvation Army to expand financial support for strengthening DOTS services. This programme has been supported by DFID, CIDA, EU, Fidelis, WHO, Research Institute of TB- Japan, Leeds University and BRAC.