Micronutrient Deficiencies in the Palestinian Territories : Identifying the Bottlenecks of Anemia Prevention and Control and Assessing the Feasibility of an Oil Fortification Program
In the Palestinian territories (PT), decades of conflict, economic stagnation, and restricted movement of people and goods, coupled with high unemployment and poverty rates, continue to affect social, health, and nutrition indicators. For decades,...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099520002012243108/P172739016041009409f2806df69b10a8d3 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37078 |
| Summary: | In the Palestinian territories (PT),
decades of conflict, economic stagnation, and restricted
movement of people and goods, coupled with high unemployment
and poverty rates, continue to affect social, health, and
nutrition indicators. For decades, several assessments have
indicated a poor nutritional status of the population in the
West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS). Specifically, a high
prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies still exists among
pregnant and postnatal women and children of ages 6–23
months despite multiple initiatives to address them.
Micronutrient deficiencies are one form of undernutrition
that occur because of insufficient intake or sufficient
intake coupled with inadequate absorption due to infection,
disease, or inflammation. Two detailed assessments were
conducted (1) to identify the bottlenecks of anemia
prevention and control programs in the PT and (2) to examine
the feasibility of an edible oil fortification program. Due
to the COVID-19 outbreak and conflicts, the assessments
largely relied on the use of readily available data for
secondary analyses and remote data collection through
online/phone surveys, key informant interviews, and focus
group discussions. To the extent possible, the assessments
collected data from key informants (for example, health care
service providers) and beneficiaries through field visits
and stakeholder interviews. The detailed methodology for
each of the assessments areavailable in annexes 1 and 2. |
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