9.02 Nutrition: All issues related to nutrition will be guided by the actions incorporated into the national food and nutrition policy. The National Nutritional Program (NNP) will be expanded to cover the entire country and adjusted on the basis of gathered experience. Nutrition activities will be reinforced by forging links with other activities in the health sector like community-centered immunization and hospital services for referral of the severely malnourished, etc. The multi-sectoral links of MOHFW's nutrition initiatives with programs by other ministries for food fortification and income security would be further strengthened to achieve accelerated decline in malnutrition. Dissemination of proper knowledge about nutrition amongst the citizens will be strengthened. The on-going micronutrient programs will be continuously reviewed for their refinement and expansion with particular emphasis on gender equity. Monitoring and surveillance system will be strengthened to improve nutrition of the poorer sections of the society.

9.04 Health Education and Promotion: A major strategy to ensure better health would be to promote public health through health education within MOHFW and channels outside it. The existing institutions of MOHFW will be strengthened for providing effective health messages. Coalition will be built with mass media for providing health education to the population on a continuing basis regarding methods of preventing communicable and non-communicable diseases, caring practices for children, adolescents and the old aged, and creating awareness on nutrition and proper sanitation. Steps will also be taken to reach basic health and reproductive health information through school curricula and utilize NGOs and different religious centers to influence health behavior of the people. Moreover, activities of existing school health clinics will be reviewed and based on learnt lessons, school health program will be scaled up through developing a strategy in collaboration with MOE, MOPME, Girl's Guides, Boy's Scouts, etc.

9.05 Control of Non-communicable Diseases: Reduction of morbidity and premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will require appropriate actions at all levels from primary prevention to treatment and rehabilitation in an integrated manner. The government will, in partnership with local government administration and private sector create greater awareness of, and provide services for the control of unhealthy diet and lifestyle related major NCDs like-- cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, mental illness, etc. It will also take steps to combat common NCDs, such as, hypertension, asthma, blindness, etc., which particularly afflict the poor. Existing preventive and curative measures with respect to all NCDs will further be expanded and strengthened to increase access of all for health care services.

9.17 Food Safety and Quality: The problem of major health hazards stem from drinking unsafe water and consuming unhygienic and low quality food. Definitive food standards would be established to serve as benchmark for evaluating and maintaining standards. Presently, the MOHFW covers issues related to drugs, while the Pure Food Ordinance, which is administered by the Local Government Municipal Authorities, covers issues related to food standards. An institutional partnership will be developed with the LG Division in collaboration with MOC, MOHA, MOA, MO Food and other relevant ministries for ensuring safety and quality of food and water. All existing food safety laws will be reviewed by the government and strengthened incorporating penal provisions for providing sub-standard and unhygienic food to the public. The government will examine the need for an integrated authority for food and drug administration and take necessary follow -up action with the aim of removing threat to health of the citizens from substandard and or adulterated food and drugs.