Sight and Life Rwanda signed a contract with The Result to carry out an assessment of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements and Iron and Folic Acid Supplements in Antenatal Care Services in 10 districts of Rwanda

Posted: Jun 18, 2025

Malnutrition is a public health issue of high concern worldwide (Global Nutrition Report, 2014). Around 10% of women are undernourished globally, 20% of women are undernourished in Africa, and 20% of maternal deaths are attributed to undernutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa (2, 3). Maternal, child, and infant nutrition are still a relevant issue globally. According to the Global Nutrition Report 2022, 30% of women of reproductive age were anaemic, 15% of infants have low birth weight (LBW), 22% of children under five years of age are stunted, and 7% are wasted. Different studies showed that poor maternal nutrition has consistent contributions to poor foetal growth, LBW, child stunting, maternal and child morbidity, and mortality (Gomes et al., 2022). In Rwanda, maternal undernutrition is among the main public health problems, and it is associated with high maternal mortality and morbidity as well as the poor child health outcomes. According to the most recent Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS 2019-2020), 33% of the children are stunted, 13% of women of childbearing age, and 25% of pregnant women are anaemic, and the maternal mortality rate is high (203 per 100,000 births) (6). Meta-analyses have shown that multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) leads to a consistent relative risk reduction of maternal nutritional deficiencies and birth outcomes (Kraemer et al., 2023). Before January 2024, Government of Rwanda had been using IFA. For the above background, since January 2024, the Government of Rwanda has implemented Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) distribution in seven pilot districts of Rwanda. These districts were chosen because of the high stunting rates compared to other districts in Rwanda. Since then, MMS was distributed to the pregnant women attending Antenatal Care (ANC) services in all seven pilot districts, covering a total of 8 hospitals and 124 health centres in line with the government’s two-year plan to accelerate stunting reduction and the overall aim of national full scale-up of MMS. It is for this background that Sight and Life signed a contract agreement with The Result Consult Co. Ltd. to carry out an assessment of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements and Iron and Folic Acid Supplements in Antenatal Care Services in Rwanda.