For this Learning Network context, nutrition surveillance is defined as a system established to continuously monitor the dietary intake, nutritional status and other nutrition indicators of a population or selected population groups using a variety of data-collection methods whose ultimate goal is to lead to evidenced-based and well- informed nutrition policy formulation, advocacy and action planning.
This TWG specifically focuses on Routine nutrition surveillance. This includes Health Management Information Systems, Demographic Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and adhoc food and nutrition surveys, among other.
Functions and responsibilities
The objective of this TWG is to contribute to the understanding, sharing and learning to promote actions, change and transitions to strengthen data collection, repository, dissemination, analysis and use.
The TWG facilitates learning on technical and non-technical matters, as well as triggers and supports innovations in nutrition surveillance. These are done through:
- Facilitating discussions leading to learning and sharing of best practices, innovations and new dimensions in nutrition surveillance;
- Creating and operationalizing frameworks for addressing collective regional challenges in surveillance including but not limited to efforts in the harmonization of data collection tools and procedures standardization.
- Facilitate the development of policy/strategy framework on surveillance among the member states;
- Supporting TWG members in addressing technical issues related to the data collection, repository, analysis, dissemination and use; and
- Promotion of knowledge management through tracking and documentation of lessons learned in the TWGs
- Strengthening of routine surveillance systems among the member state