You will have six health contacts with mothers and children in your community. Nutrition behaviour change communication and promoting the seven essential nutrition actions will be an important element within these six health contacts.

The table below outlines what the six health contacts are, and the key nutrition action messages you need to communicate at each contact.

Delivery of the key essential nutrition action messages

Source: Linkages project/AED Ethiopia, 2005, Behavioural change communication manual

When does breastfeeding appear as a key message within the seven essential nutrition action a key message and why is it so important?

Show answer
Breast feeding is included in four of the key messages, namely optimal breastfeeding, optimal complementary feeding, sick child feeding and control of vitamin A deficiency. You know from this and earlier study sessions that breastfeeding is critical for promoting healthy growth in infants, helping prevent disease and encourage bonding between the mother and baby.

Nutrition behaviour change communication on essential nutrition action components can also be given as part of other health programme contacts including child survival interventions (such as community IMNCI and community nutrition programmes), national immunization days and other infectious diseases control programmes.

Last modified: Thursday, 29 May 2014, 11:04 AM