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Iron Deficiency Project Advisory Service
Project Description
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What does IDPAS Iron World
mean?
The Iron Deficiency
Project Advisory Service (IDPAS) is a project of
the International Nutrition Foundation
and United Nations University. This project
receives its primary support from the Micronutrient Initiative. Additional support
for IDPAS Activities has been provided for by UNICEF, WHO, the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the International Nutrition Foundation and the
Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at
Tufts University.
"IDPAS Iron World" includes
an outline of webpages with a diverse set of documentation related to micronutrient
nutrition with emphasis on preventing and controlling iron deficiency anemia.
The IDPAS Iron World webpages are
located on the website of the Micronutrient
Initiative. Every six to nine months, the current content of IDPAS Iron
World is converted to Acrobat files and transferred onto a CDROM to be sent
out to users in developing countries with limited internet access.
Who does IDPAS service?
IDPAS is dedicated
to supporting those working to improve iron nutrition in developing countries
and countries in transition. There are currently over 500 registered users from
over 130 countries and many more use the information services directly from
the world wide web. The fourth edition of IDPAS Iron World on CDROM was produced
in February 2003 and distributed to over 1400 persons working in the fields
related to iron nutrition, mainly in developing countries and countries in transition,
Potential Users can register
with IDPAS Iron World on this website or by using e-mail, mail or fax.
What does IDPAS service cover?
IDPAS provides technical information,
and timely responses to questions and requests for information. Covered topics
range from how to effectively support advocacy for new micronutrient interventions
and technical issues on fortificants and supplements to a full range of research
topics and information on specific projects and interventions.
While IDPAS has a broad focus, information
does concentrate on iron interventions including food fortification, oral supplementation,
education for dietary change and public health interventions that can improve
iron nutrition and prevent anemia.
IDPAS was developed based on a lifecycle
approach to iron nutrition and and the need for various types of intervention
that to overall integrated strategies that are needed to reduce the prevalence
of iron deficiency across a population.
IDPAS provides up-to-date information
both on issues and areas where there is broad consensus by scientists and policy
makers and also on controversial issues, including iron supplementation and
malaria and HIV-AIDS.
IDPAS Iron World responds to queries
from researchers and project staff from around the world including information
on current research and on innovative work to improve interventions and their
delivery. This includes, for example:
•Guidelines on fortification
•Improving supplements
and iron rich diets for young children
•Current research
on fortificants and enrichment premixes
•Current and potential
sources of funding and technical assistance
•New global decade
targets calling for all countries to reduce the prevalence on iron deficiency
by 30% by 2010.
How can information on specific issues or questions be obtained?
1. Browsing and collecting information from IDPAS
Iron World web pages.
2. Browsing and searching the IDPAS Iron World CDROMs (these may be requested
from IDPAS)
3. Through direct, one-to-one responses to queries sent via e-mail, mail fax
or phone.
What types of information materials can IDPAS Iron World provide?
IDPAS can provide the following:
•Information on 74
focus topics
•Well known and widely
accepted guidelines.
•Over 600-research
reports.
•Conference presentations
(powerpoint and abstracts).
•Graphics and photographs
• Country level documentation
on iron deficiency, anemia and related areas.
What does IDPAS do when receiving a question on which it has insufficient information?
Whenever other organizations or individuals
are needed to answer queries or provide requested services, these are forwarded
to other groups or specific experts who have agreed to participate. IDPAS then
follows such queries until those requesting help are satisfied.
How will IDPAS develop its services?
IDPAS has received a grant from the
Micronutrient Imitative of Canada to continue and expand its services through
April 2003. During this period, IDPAS will expand to include international exchange
of project experience and practical lessons learned among projects and institutions
working in iron nutrition at national and subnational levels.
How does IDPAS Iron World relate to other projects, organizations and
specialists working in this field?
IDPAS is fully dedicated to collaboration.
The IDPAS Iron World web pages, CDROMs and responses to queries all provides
users with channels and links to relevant information from other organizations,
national and international specialists, researchers, projects and associations.
IDPAS avoids duplication and passes
relevant inquiries and requests to others whenever appropriate. IDPAS is simply
developing additional active and proactive channel sand links among resource
groups involved in work on iron nutrition and staff, advisors, project officers
and researchers in the field.
What are the costs for IDPAS Iron World services?
All IDPAS services are free of charge
to all those working in this field from developing countries and others who
support them.
IDPAS Iron World services are currently
funded mainly through a grant from the Micronutrient Initiative to the International
Nutrition Foundation, and currently gains additional support from the Gerald
J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University
and the International Nutrition
Foundation.
Who are the IDPAS Iron World staff?
As an INF Project. IDPAS is managed
and maintained by part time professional consultants and research associates
from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
at Tufts University. A network of experts and other organizations and projects
assist with specific information requests.
Project Coordinator:
Prof. Nevin Scrimshaw, Ph.D., M.D.
(nscrimshaw@inffoundation.org).
Project Director:
Gary Gleason, Ph.D. (ggleason@inffoundation.org).
Assistance on the IDPAS Iron World
web pages and database has been provided by Desktop Publishing and Design, Newton,
Massachusetts; the Gordon Group, Ottawa, Ontario Canada and the Micronutrient
Initiative, Ottawa Ontario Canada.
Production of the IDPAS Iron World
CDROMs is done by CDWORKS, Brighton, Massachusetts, USA, Assistance with distribution
is provided by the Nutrition Section of UNICEF Headquarters, New York New York
and the Micronutrient Initiative.
 Iron Deficiency Project Advisory Service International Nutrition Foundation Web site: http://www.micronutrient.org/IDPAS Email: idpas@inffoundation.org Phone (1-617) 636-3770 Fax: (1-617) 636-3781 Project Office: 150 Harrison Street, Boston, MA, 02111 Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University |