By Tekle Tesfalidet
In a nation-wide effort to transform child health and nutrition, and combat the long-standing challenges of malnutrition, Ethiopia unveiled the groundbreaking Seqota Declaration in July 2015. With an unwavering determination to eliminate child malnutrition and achieve a zero-stunting rate by 2030, this ambitious program has emerged as a ray of hope for the country's youngest generation. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Health, the Seqota Declaration has made remarkable strides, largely thanks to the invaluable contributions of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI)/ the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). These organizations have played a pivotal role by generating evidence to assess the program's implementation status, enabling informed decision-making at higher levels of government. Through their steadfast commitment to evidence-based research and active participation in decision-making processes, EPHI and NIPN have been instrumental in driving the Seqota Declaration towards unprecedented success.
The Seqota Declaration (SD) is an innovative commitment by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to end child stunting by 2030. It is implemented nationwide, targeting areas with the highest malnutrition rates in consultation with regional governments. The SD aims to eradicate child malnutrition in Ethiopia with a phased approach: innovation phase (2015-2020), expansion phase (2021-2025), and scale-up phase (2026-2030). The primary goal is to eliminate hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture for overall development. For SD implementation, the government allocates the necessary budget from its treasury, supplemented by resources from nutrition partners. The Ministry of Health coordinates the Seqota Declaration with the support of a Federal Program Delivery Unit, which facilitates coordination and engagement among multiple sectors and stakeholders in nutrition.
According to the SD document, initially, the program focused on the Tekeze basin in Amhara and Tigray regional states, covering 40 Woredas. The declaration took its name from the town of Seqota, the capital of the Wag Hemra Zone in Amhara Regional State, which faced severe famine in the 1980s.
To assess the impact of the initial expansion phase of the Seqota Declaration (SD) and inform evidence-based decision-making, researchers from EPHI/NIPN, and IFPRI conducted an impact assessment. This rigorous assessment, utilizing the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) modeling, was carried out from May to October 2023. It provided invaluable insights into the progress achieved in reducing childhood stunting and mortality through the implementation of the SD.
The assessment revealed that within just one year after the initial expansion of the SD into 240 Woredas, the program successfully prevented a total of about 60,000 cases of stunting and 2,900 cases of mortality. Looking ahead, projections were made to estimate the potential impact of further expanding the SD program. Projection assessments showed that further expansion of the SD would significantly reduce the rate of stunting and mortality.
These remarkable findings received high praise and commendation during a collaborative high-level government meeting held sometime back. The gathering, which involved the former Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministers of the multi-sectoral Ministries, regional presidents, and regional bureau heads, aimed to evaluate the performance of the 2022-2023(2015 E.C.), approve the budget for 2023-2024 (2016 E.C.), and introduce a transformation roadmap for nutrition. The attendance of key stakeholders, such as the Federal Ministry of Health Nutrition Coordination Office, regional administrators, urban city administrators, mayors, and sector heads, reflected the government's comprehensive approach to addressing nutrition challenges.
The chair of the meeting, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ato Demeke Mekonnen, expressed admiration for the results based on the conclusive findings of the impact assessment. Additionally, the former Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need for sustained efforts to achieve the program's ultimate goal. The importance of community participation and leadership throughout the implementation process was also underscored.
On her part, the former Minister of Health, Dr. Liya Tadesse, lauded the achievements and emphasized the importance of expanding the Seqota Declaration from its current reach of 240 to 700 Woredas in the coming years. Dr. Liya further emphasized that expanding the Seqota Declaration's coverage to 10% of the country's total area, based on additional studies, could potentially save 80,340 stunted children within a year.
The results achieved so far have had a big impact on government decisions and policies. Ethiopia has shown its dedication to addressing nutrition challenges and improving the health of its people by allocating a 696 million Birr (ETB) budget for the expansion of the Seqota Declaration during 2023-2024 (2016 E.C.). Notably, several regional states have allocated funds to support the initiative, further emphasizing the widespread recognition of its importance. The expansion program of the projects is making a remarkable contribution to various aspects, including ensuring food security at the household level, promoting local development, creating job opportunities for the youth, and ensuring female participation and benefits.
Here, it is important to emphasize the significance of the study findings, as they have provided robust support for the decision to allocate significant funding towards expanding SD activities into additional Woredas. Moreover, these findings offer valuable insights to higher officials, enabling them to gain a better understanding of the status of SD implementation in relation to the planned activities.
To further strengthen evidence-based decision-making and prioritize health system and nutrition research, researchers at EPHI/NIPN Ethiopia are tirelessly dedicating their efforts to generating timely, relevant, and high-quality evidence. Ensuring the widespread adoption of evidence throughout the research process is crucial. This requires emphasizing the importance of timeliness, relevance, engagement with decision-makers, and maintaining high quality. Actively involving decision-makers in the research process promotes the effective utilization and application of the evidence, fostering informed decision-making in the field of health and nutrition.
Furthermore, in addition to their work in generating timely information, EPHI and NIPN Ethiopia have actively engaged in advocacy campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the critical importance of nutrition and the Seqota Declaration. They have utilized various platforms, including media engagements, public events, their website, social media channels, policy briefs, and community outreach initiatives, to promote understanding and garner support for improved nutrition outcomes.
Through these multifaceted approaches, they have not only sought to disseminate knowledge but also foster a broader understanding of the significance of nutrition in achieving positive health outcomes. By actively engaging with the public, policymakers, and communities, EPHI/NIPN Ethiopia continues to play a vital role in promoting awareness and garnering support for initiatives that aim to improve nutrition on a larger scale.
As the country strives to eliminate stunting and improve nutrition, collaborative efforts and evidence-based approaches are crucial for achieving success. Researchers from EPHI/NIPN, and IFPRI tirelessly work to deliver high-quality evidence in a timely manner. Unlike traditional approaches that poorly involve policymakers in the research process, they actively engage decision-makers.
EPHI and NIPN/Ethiopia researchers dedicate their efforts to generating timely, relevant, and high-quality evidence, strengthening evidence-based decision-making, and prioritizing health system and nutrition research. Emphasizing the importance of timeliness, relevance, engagement with decision-makers, and maintaining high quality is essential to ensuring the widespread adoption of evidence throughout the research process. Additionally, engaging decision-makers proactively in the research process facilitates the optimal utilization and application of evidence, thereby cultivating well-informed decision-making in the realm of health and nutrition.
Actively involving decision-makers in the research process promotes the effective utilization and application of the evidence, fostering informed decision-making in the field of health and nutrition.
In conclusion, the Seqota Declaration serves as a testament to Ethiopia's resolute dedication to eliminating child stunting and enhancing the welfare of its children. However, the realization of such commitments hinges solely on evidence-based decision-making. The declaration exemplifies the utmost importance of basing policy choices on robust evidence and has showcased the transformative potential of collaboration between research institutions and decision-makers. As Ethiopia continues on its path to eradicate child malnutrition and address other health challenges, the invaluable contributions of EPHI and NIPN will persist as crucial drivers in attaining the ambitious objectives outlined in the Seqota Declaration and other health and nutrition initiatives.
